


Clarion Call

by LusciaKoushiro, Xakryn



Series: Requiem for the Fallen [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Adult Content, Drama & Romance, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward, Gay Male Character, Love, M/M, Masturbation, POV Third Person, Shounen-ai, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-03-01 05:36:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 74,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18794047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LusciaKoushiro/pseuds/LusciaKoushiro, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xakryn/pseuds/Xakryn
Summary: A romance between a Paladin of Ul'dah and a Gridanian singer.Sora's life before the events of Soul Voice, by Lusciakoushiro.*Sora and Rachel Evens, Tracey Galace, Luscia Koushiro, and Demresineaux Odell are Original Characters belonging too LusciaKoushiro, used with permission*





	1. Chapter 1

With another mission finally accomplished, and another long debriefing done, Xa'kryn and a few of his comrades in arms from the Gladiators' guild headed out in search of a place to wind down. The desert city state Ul'dah was bustling with people, even more so then when the had left. He and his troupe of Gladiators were nearly mistaken as part of the parade as they attempted to get back to the guild upon returning from their scouting for Garleans in the north.

  
It seemed like most of Eorzea had made it's way to Thanalan in the past couple of days. Some Eorzean event he wasn't informed about must be happening. He remembered having to be present at many a large social occasion as a child, and always wanting to run away. He was from a noble house in Ishgard originally, and usually made to participate more then he would like.

Xa'kryn, being the tallest there as an Elezen, noticed the crowd in The Quicksand before most of his comrades had headed up the stairway. He decided to split from the group and take refuge outside the city at The Coffer & Coffin for a nice quiet drink instead of taking his chances in such a packed venue.

"There you are, you bastard." a voice said as hands slammed down on the pauldrons of his armor, and the tips of his claws made a rhythmic strum against them. It was the squad commander, Scylus, a mostly white Miqo'te with hints of blue and black in his fur. He didn't know how right he was when he called him that, but it seemed to be a nickname that stuck. "I've been looking all over for you." He said snatching the drink out of the Elezen's hand and slamming more then half of the pint in a couple of seconds.

"You know I hate crowds." he replied, stealing back the rest of his drink and waving over two more from the bar maiden as he finished it. Right now, it was a little too bustling.  
"And so I found you almost immediately." he replied finally taking a seat, though with the chair backwards, and resting an arm against the back of it. Scylus smiles at the maiden as he takes both drinks from her tray and gives his friend his pint after taking another large sip off of it.

"If you want me to take your shift, just ask, don't play games trying to keep me sober." Xa'kryn said with a frown.

"Good. So you'll take it then?" He inquired before taking a sip of his own drink.

"It depends." Xa'k replied. "Just what shift do you have, and why are you so insistent I take it?"

"Obvious, you noticed how busy Ul'dah is, right?" That was a dumb question, if it wasn't, he'd be at The Quicksand instead. "Tonight, they've got a performance by Sora Evens planned as a finale to the festivities. I got tickets to go to the concert before I got assigned security duty. As much as I'd love to be backstage, I'm fairly sure the missus would kill me if I ditched her tonight."

Xa'kryn frowned. "And somehow you knew I was free tonight."

"Why do you think you guys returned a day early?" Scylus smirked. "Come on, be a pal."

Xa'kryn sighed. "Fine. but you owe me another one." he reluctantly agreed; only because this is about the fourth favor Scy's owed him. "And trust that one day you will have to pay out."

The Miqo'te smirked finishing his pint, knowing he had won once again. "It'll balance out. I'm sure you're going to save them up for one giant mass favour, one day." He made another move to grab his friends drink, but was shoved away.

"Just get out of here." Xa'k retorted, rolling his eyes.

"You have an hour. Meet Mylla at the guild, she'll brief you, and get you stationed." The Miqo'te said with a smirk before rushing off to meet up with his other half before she set fire too his tail.

After finishing his drink he set off back to Ul'dah. Much do his dismay Mylla looked rather confused to see him in Scylus's stead. He had neglected to brief her on the change in shift. Had it been anyone else, Xa'kryn would have just been dismissed and they would have been reprimanded for refusing orders. Scylus was a special case. He seemed to be able to use his charm to get out of any situation, and has sway over the Guild Master in a way that no other subordinate does.

 

He was briefed on the job, quickly. It was the basic stuff one would expect from Security detail; Don't let anyone by besides the minstrels, and The Bard on stage. He made his way to the Arena directly below the Gladiators guild where a stage had been set up, with many partitions set up to funnel fans one way, and staff another. The crowd was quite huge even way before the show started, filled with many fans. As someone from Ishgard, Xa'kryn could hardly see what the fuss was about, as he heard the excited whispers from the crowd. Most could hardly believe they were going to see Sora live. Whomever this Sora Evens was, they seemed to be even more famous then the Sultana herself.

He was rather lucky to get the station he did. Stage left, just to the side of the curtains. As he glance from where he was stationed, he could clearly see his Miqo'te friend with his girlfriend in the crowd six or seven rows back. He was probably right to swap shifts, as he was fairly sure Scy's girl would be more jealous and upset that her boyfriend was closer to her idol then she was. He was the only guard with a very clear view of the entire show, as he was to block anyone from coming on stage once the show started, and being a six foot one Elezen still in full Paladin armour from his previous mission, there weren't many who would try. Mylla even allowed him to keep his own sword, rather then the standard security equipment; if nothing else, clad in white and very faint blues, he stood out amongst the other security the Flames had offered.

All he was told about this Sora, was that they would be dressed in blue from head too toe. He was not told however that their hair and eyes would match their outfit. Xa'k glance to his left as a blue blur approached, and was stopped for a moment or two as the hooded Miqo'te they walked in with pulled them into a soft kiss. He over heard soft words of luck whispered to the singer, whom just smiled. The Lalafell behind them however was not amused, and the guard that had walked in with them had turned away. "Tracey! If you were going to do that, you should have done it while in the dressing room still." he said getting a little steamed, snapping his fingers for the aesthetician to fix the now smudged lipstick.

"Toreku, don't over react." Sora said softly after the lipstick was touched up. "It was just a kiss." he added as he approached the stage, and the paladin who was standing guard. It was now clear to Xa'kryn that this Sora wasn't a female as he was expecting, but he was none the less gorgeous, and had an angelic tone to even his speaking voice.

Sora smiled as he made eye contact with the Paladin standing guard and walked passed him as the lights went low. He paused only for a moment, and Xa'kryn heard him take an audible breath as he walked onto the stage. The crowd got excited as soon as the lights went low, and went wild as soon as they saw him. He was very good at playing to the crowd too, and got them riled up at mere mention of the city name. He did forty seconds of crowd work before breaking into his first song of a seven song set.

It wasn't until the Ishgardian heard the Bard begin to sing did he understand just what the Eorzean crowd was drawn too. He was like hearing pure aether put into notes, each score resonating out from his chest was soothing to the hearts and souls of all who heard it. Xa'kryn could feel a twinge in his chest as he listened. It was the first time in a long time that he felt something that he didn't want to drowned out with alcohol. His heart ached in a way he hadn't imagined, and it seemed to get stronger with each note the minstrel sung; compacting with each song played. He understood more with each song why Eorzea loved him. It was impossible not to fall in love with a voice that heavenly.

From then on Xa'kryn volunteered himself for security for Sora's caravan when they would come into Thanalan and he wasn't away on any missions. Sometimes the would stop at Ul'dah, other times, Little Ala Mhigo, as Sora travelled for the little people as much as the highborn. He would never stay longer than two weeks at a time before travelling to the other regions of Eorzea. The only nights Xa'k could bare to be sober were the nights he was able to hear that voice on the wind. Over the next two years every three months, for two solid weeks he would be hired on as staff for Sora Evens. He had even offered to take the job at a reduced rate as he felt that he was getting paid too much to enjoy himself.

Several months later, after a particularly long away mission, Xa'kryn hurries his way back to the guild for his debriefing, and was quite hoping he hadn't missed his chance to guard the venue that was happening in Little Ala Mhigo that night. He lucked out, as the moment he asks Mylla for a job, one of those assigned for the night fell ill, and he was able to get his spot on the roster.

As he slips through the crowds in the street he overheard whispers that the Singer was now single, which piqued Xa'kryn's interest more then he would openly admit. He seemed so happy with that Miqo'te from what very little he saw. He wondered now what happened between them. He heard a remark about how one patron was quite happy, and how Sora could do much better and others pondered aloud as to why someone would willingly leave someone so famous. He understood too well why one would not want to mingle with anyone of high status, but he learned the lesson the hard way as a teenager. These thoughts now at the fore of his mind, Xa'kryn pushes through the crowds and makes his way down to staging area to take up his usual assigned position as the closest Security to Sora when he's on stage. They had set it up so there was no access through Lil Ala Mhigo itself, which was staffed tight with Gladiators. The stage was set up at the southern entrance and already there was a huge crowd packed in between the three adjoining mesa.

He had just gotten into position when he senses someone coming and his eyes dart to the left just as the singer rounds the corner. He didn't seem his normal jovial self, even at a glance. His head was hung low, it seemed as Sora was carrying the immense weight of depression on his shoulders; he could see it in the way he walked.  
"You're here again..." Sora said softly under his breath a he approach, recognizing Xa'k as one of the regular staff in Ul'dah. "Do you keep getting the short straw?" the singer asked staring directly into Xa'kryn's violet eyes.

 

Xa'kryn half smiled at the singer and shook his head. "I hold the straws." he said softly, but firmly. "I choose the one I'll be left with." he replied.

Sora feigned a soft smile. "It's nice that someone wants to be here..." to which Xa'kryn furrowed his brow slightly.

He meant to ask more, but the singer glided past him and onto the stage and Xa'k lost his chance for another few months to speak with him. Sora went on to do another flawless performance. On stage, one could hardly tell Sora was phased at all by his purported break up. On stage it sounded like the rumor that Sora left him might have been the truth; but Xa'k knew it wasn't. If it wasn't for that moment of weakness in Sora's façade, maybe even Xa'kryn would have been blind to it. It got to him. So much so for weeks afterwards, all he could think of was how it might be feel to be on the receiving end of such a loss and it reminded him of a past he rather forget. One thing was for certain, Xa'k's mind was starting to wander more and more back to that songstress.

~~

It was nought but two and a half fortnights later that Sora's manager, Toreku, showed up early at the Gladiator's guild in Ul'dah, requesting an audience with Mylla.  
"Do you by chance happen to have any hands available for hire for a private affair?" the Lalafell inquired upon seeing the guild master, with nary a chance for her to even greet him.

"Toreku! How have you been?" She exclaimed before getting right to the point. "Sadly, I could only hire out half a dozen comfortably. There is a lot on my plate at the moment, and I've currently got most of my men out on missions." she replied. "I wasn't expecting your for another fortnight, otherwise we would be slightly stronger staffed."

 

"There will be no concerts in Eorzea for a little while." the Lalafell said sadly. "My client has been emotionally worn out for a while now, and I'm now ordering him to take a vacation." he said. "I need security for said trip. I've currently maxed out of budget on expensive hired hands after a terrible incident in Gridanian territory that nearly cost my client his life..." he said without going into anymore detail, by the look on Mylla's face, she understood enough about the situation to hazard a guess. "Gridanian's are still investigating, and I'm taking him as far away from there as I can. As we are not even going to be staying in Ul'dah, I hardly expected you to be able to just give me staff... but I was hoping for a bit more then just six more gladiators, not that their help wouldn't be much apricated." he said honestly.

Suddenly there were a set of white furry arms draping against the Lalafell's head, and hands with sharp claws dangling in front of his eyes. "You know, why hire just six gladiator's, when you could higher them, and a paladin as well for the same rate."

 

"You?" Mylla questioned, looking at the Miqo'te paladin that showed up randomly. "I didn't think you'd volunteer yourself, much less at a pay cut."

 

"Me?" Scylus just smirked, "I wasn't talking about myself." he added ignoring the Lalafell that was unhappy being used as an armrest; even if they were old friends.

 

"Then who were you talking about? You are the only one not assigned to missions tonight." She stated bluntly.

"Xa'k and I are going to switch." He replied standing up and getting his hands out of Toreku's face.

"Oh. So you're finally telling me when you are switching duties with him. That's a first." She replied. She was aware that there was an agreement between Xa'k and Toreku's troupe about his lowered pay rate already. "Fine. I'll allow it. That is if your budget also allows it."

 

The Lalafell smiled a bit in relief. "Six gladiators and a Paladin works wonders for me." and it was also a relief to Toreku to have someone on staff that he trusted, as he's worked with Xa'kryn for years.

Much to Xa'kryn's dismay, it was he who was not told about the change in shifts. He was all ready to go fight Garleans, and maybe not return, and out of habit had recited a couple of Isgardian protection charms to protect himself. He had just about set off to the rendezvous point when Scylus showed up and gave him the good news. He was going to protest, until Scylus told him the details of his new 'mission'. For once, Scylus gave him the easier of the jobs. He would much rather do Security detail for a retreat then have to actually retreat from Garlean forces. Scylus did however neglect to mention to him that the client he was guarding was Sora Evens; a fact he found out when he went to report for his new duty only to be greeted by a familiar Lalafell. He arrived at the Airship dock still clad in the armour meant for the other mission, but it seemed to help bolster moral for the other eternal flame guards to have a very visible paladin leading the group, but also put a dimmer on any plans for them to attempt to get too friendly with the client, like they all had hoped; this feeling was also felt by the Paladin, he would have to keep it professional in front of his subordinates.

 

There was a weak exchange of smiles between Xa'kryn and Sora as they boarded the airship and the singer strode past him and down into the hold. Xa'kryn stay above deck while the other six from his troupe followed the singer down. There were also a few Gridanian soldiers, but fewer, manning above deck with Xa'kryn for the long trip to Limsa Lominsa.

 

It was a few days before they were properly settled into a routine at Summerford Farms just outside of Limsa Lominsa. Toreku had secured it for a fortnight or longer on the lie low with the help of the Admiral. Xa'kryn was never too far from Sora, whom for the first bit of the trip just stayed in his room. It hurt to see him so depressed. The few times he had come out were meals, and even then conversation was stilted, even between he and his Manager.

 

One evening, during twilight, Sora gets up from his room and slips out the window. Xa'kryn only noticed due to his heightened sense of hearing, and knowing the sound a heavy wooden window trying to be stealthily closed, and failing due to the stiffness of the wood from first hand experience. Toreku arches a brow as he watches Xa'kryn stand from where he had been leaning against the wall by Sora's door and slowly crosses the kitchen and exits the building. Xa'kryn's hunch was correct. The singer had tried to make a break for it.

 

Xa'kryn follows in behind the singer at a distance, watching him as he crosses the field, never getting much father from Xa'kryn's stride. He follows the river down the cliffs edge. He waits a couple of minutes, watching Sora through the gap in the bridge.

 

"...Did you get the short straw again?" Sora said after a few minutes of silence as he sits at the cliffs edge staring vacantly into the water. He knew he was being watched for a while, and on a hunch, guessed as to who it was.

 

The paladin strides forward, with a frown on his face as he looks at the singer who only barely glances up to him. "...I told you before; I hold the straws." he replied. "I'm here because I want to be."

"and I want to be alone." Sora replied sharply, glaring back at the paladin who only gaze into his eyes.

 

"You know I can't let you do that." Xa'kryn replied softly, "I tried to keep my distance as to afford you some privacy, but I cannot leave you alone."

 

"Why? Is it just because you're paid to keep me company?" he retorted somewhat angrily.

 

"If it was just my company you wanted, the only payment I would need is to see you smile again."

 

"Good thing you are at the shows all the time then, cause that's the only time you'll see it"

 

"We both know that recent one is a fake." He replied with a frown taking a seat on the ledge beside him, but averting his gaze. "You may fool some of your fans, but I see through it."

 

"You do, do you? Do you also see how hard it is for me to just go out there? Do you see how all I want is to be alone until I have to go back out there and feign for the fans." the singer retorted, starting to shake, starting to get mad. "Do you presume to know how I feel now, as well?" He asked glancing up to the dark haired paladin that had taken up a seat mere inches from him. Xa'kryn glanced back into the singers azure eyes before the singer continued his rant. "I cant even breathe because of everyone hovering around me, all the time! I can't get a moments peace. I can't even let out how I feel because it causes everyone to just swarm onto me, or jumps to their own conclusions without even asking. They all just presume to know without one solid fact in their head. Reciting what they want the truth to be! All because he was so fucking selfish!" It seemed harder and harder for Sora to continue the more he let out. By the time the word 'he' left Sora's lips, there were tears streaming down his face. He adjusted how he sit so he could use both hands to hide his tears, and the redness of his face from getting so angry. Sora was also embarrassed for having lost his composure in front of hired help.

 

Xa'kryn thought quietly for a moment, before deciding force the singer to vent his frustrations to him. "So, I was correct in assuming that he was the one to do the leaving..."

 

"Congratulations for correctly guessing the form of my emotional strife." Sora replied sarcastically, and bitterly still through tears.

 

""...Did he give you a reason?" to which he just got a laugh in reply though tears fall down his cheeks.

 

"Had I a reason, I mightn't be so upset." Sora replied. "but no, he just left. No words, no reason, nothing. Just gone one day like it all meant nothing." he started crying, unable to hold it back anymore. "Weeks I spent waiting for a note, a letter, a sign; something to tell me why, but nothing. Not a god damn word. I hate overhearing people say that I could do better; that their bitter hate of him somehow is supposed to negate the feelings I had for him. It seems everyone supposes that they could due well to replace him... I bet even you think you-""

 

"No, I'm no better..." he replied honestly, gazing back into those Azure eyes, after cutting him off mid sentence. "I too have left someone who has cared for me deeply in the same state of despair as you... and didn't look back."

 

"Why? Did you not tell them you were leaving too? and just disappear one night?"

 

Xa'kryn frowned. "...Not exactly. I told him I was going leaving so many times, he didn't believe it."

 

"So he knew you were leaving..." to which Xa'kryn half nodded in reply. "Did you leave in the middle of the night after bedding them?"

 

"...No..." Xa'kryn replied. "but our circumstances were much different..."

 

"Then you aren't like him. Not a word. He did not say that he was leaving, and pretended like everything was fine, and expect me to just be okay with it... with suddenly feeling so alone... even though I'm constantly surrounded." the tears never ceased to fall down his cheeks. "I feel so empty. So hollow.... did he not realize how much of my life was centered around him...? I don't know what to do anymore... I feel like I've lost my meaning... Going out on stage feels like a sham every time now; singing those songs don't feel the same anymore because that feeling is gone... No one seems even to notice or care how I feel at all." somewhere between those words, Sora felt the warmth of the Paladins hand upon his own that was between them; which only seemed to edge the tears on more.

 

"There are those who care; you may just be too blinded by despair too see them right now... but they'll be there." Xa'kryn replied softly as he reached up with his other hand and gently pulled the singers jaw to force him to look at him. He gave into his instinct, the Paladin lent forward, and kissed the singer to stop his tears; for the moment not entirely thinking straight, with his heart pounding hard in his chest.

 

It was a mere five seconds, but it was long enough for the Paladin to register what it is he was doing, and where he was. He pulled away slowly and let go of the singers hand. "...I apologize..." he said quietly as he stood to his feet. "...that was unprofessional of me..." he said glancing down to his client, but afraid to make eye contact for too long else his face get warm with embarrassment. "I'll give you the privacy you wanted as far as my contract allows..." He said stepping away without another word back to the bridge, was a couple of meters away, at best.

 

Xa'kryn found it harder now too look directly into his clients eyes. He knew he was starting to feel something, and chest got tight every time he saw him from that moment after. He wonder if Scylus was aware of what he was doing when he swapped duties with him this time. He found this mission to be his most difficult to date. He was good at repressing all other emotions for the sake of duty, but this one was getting hard to ignore.

 

As much as he wanted too, he didn't speak with Sora any more on that trip despite not being far from his side. He was afraid to be the one to break the silence after over stepping a boundary. He still wasn't even sure how Sora felt about it, as it seemed that he too had a hard time maintaining eye contact, but Xa'k only assumed that he was not happy about it.

 

Faster than he wanted, the time flew by and soon the fortnight had passed, and the troupe was back on it's way to Ul'dah. Though Sora's vacation might not be over, Xa'kryn's contract will be up as soon as they make it back to the guild. Several times on the airship ride over, he had to avert his gaze as to not be caught blatantly staring at him; his cheeks felt warm each time.

 

As soon as they walked in Mylla ordered the seven Ul'dan troops for a debriefing and Xa'k took one last glance back at Sora, hoping to make eye contact before falling into rank and leading the others downstairs and into the large debriefing room.

 

"Thank you again, Mylla, for your accommodations to my last minute request." Toreku said with a smile. "It was quite a relief to be able to have the Paladin at no extra cost."

 

This, was news to the Singer, who stare down the hall where said paladin had just disappeared.

 

"For demanding the cut in rate, I think it's more apt to thank him yourself." she replied to the Lalafell.

 

"Demanding?" the singer asked as he glance up too the Gladiator Guild Master

 

She shook her head. "I will never understand it. I tried to pay him his full rate for a show once, and he refused it; told me to donate the rest of it to charity. I know he said he was well off in Ishgard, but it's only as security that gil seems to be no object." she recalled. "I've since adjusted so that he is on the roster for your shows at the rate he wants, and try to oblige his wish to be back in time for each. "

 

"Out of curiosity..." the singer said. "How much is his rate supposed to be?"

 

"The troupe pays three thousand gil a day, and fifteen hundred gil for a show, but as a full Paladin, his rate should be quadruple that. " She said shaking her head. "But he wants, what he wants; who am I to argue with someone who loves his job and does not care about gil."

 

"That said, I'm still thankful for the use of your security." The Lalafell said. "We will still be here for another week and a half; If you could spare two or three more guards to round off our roster until we finish crossing Ul'dah, it would be much appreciated."

 

"... that is about all I could spare, to tell you the honest truth." She replied. "Quite a few did not make it back from one of our latest scouting missions... Including Scylus."

 

"Scy?!" Toreku exclaimed. "Is he..?"

 

"No... He's not dead, unlike most of the others... He just did not come back... One of our scouts reported him A.w.o.l. Shortly before finding most of his squad gone..."

 

"...A.w.o.l? Scylus? We are talking about the same Scylus, right?"

 

"I know, Toreku, I don't believe it either, but that was what was reported, and that is what is officially written down until we find him. I only tell you, because you two are close."

 

"Scylus?" Sora asked. He was rarely here for these meetings.

 

"Scy is a very old friend from my childhood." The Lalafell explained. "and a very terrible babysitter..." he added honestly.

 

"He also was the only other Paladin in Ul'dah, aside from Xa'k at the moment." Mylla added. "I fear for what motivation Scylus had to take Xa'k's place on that mission now that it's gone awry..."

 

"Mylla, you're talking like you believe Scy really did go A.w.o.l..." Toreku said.

 

"...I cannot be resolute in any of my conclusions thus far." Mylla said. "Until I know the truth, I must try to ascertain it from all ways conceivable."

 

"Well, I don't believe it." Toreku said simply. "I know Scy was just trying to help out my Troupe." It was then that Sora finally got the name of the Paladin that has been guarding him off and on for months. "Simply because he offered to swap with Xa'k, so Xa'k could come with us, does not make him guilty."

 

"I know it doesn't Toreku..." She replied. "We'll find the truth, my friend. Do not worry."

~~~

 

After his debriefing, and before being able to run to the barracks and put on some garb more accustom for the Moonfire Faire, he was pulled aside alone in Mylla's office and found out the news of his friend. He did not believe it, not for a second. He's known Scylus since he arrived in Eorzea. He knows he would never, ever, do something so horrendous as wipe out his own comrades. Hearing the rumours in the barracks only fueled his anger. He wanted to relax in the Quicksand when he got back, but being bombarded with questions about his mentor quickly ruined his mood. He bought a couple bottles of wine from Momodi and left the city. She was the only one to compliment him on his kimono and did not try to pries him for information he did not have. He made his way to the Forgotten Springs, one of his favourite spots in the desert, and took up a seat on the giant rock outside of camp, over looking the oasis. The sun was setting and you could just see one or two stars starting to shine through the crimson sky as the sun sank slowly into the horizon. Goblet in hand he stare into the distance lost in thought with a rather somber look upon his face facing the opposite direction of the fireworks in Little Ala Mhigo in the distance.

 

Sora and his company arrive at the forgotten springs by carriage by chance. Toreku had arranged another week get away, and the oasis was the perfect spot for seclusion. Sora steps from the carriage and looks around the place. It was only a few minutes after wandering the inside the camp did he notices the paladin walk from the small fishing docks up the hill, and disappear around the side of the rock facing on top of the miniature mesa from the gate he was standing by. He nearly didn't recognize him at first as he wasn't dressed in a full suit of armor; with a slight smile and his heart pounding in his chest, he began to follow him. A couple of Gridanian guards start to follow them as per their job, when they were slowed by Toreku, who had also saw him and told them to watch from a distance.

 

Xa'kryn had retaken his seat up against the side of the cliff and had poured another goblet of wine and just taken mouthful when he was startled by the singers voice.

 

"Xa'k...?" His voice was soft, and sweet as he spoke and notably pink as Xa'k glance over too him, and swallowed his drink. "Did I get that right?"

 

"...Yes. That is correct." Xa'kryn said, trying to regain some composure he had lost over the night. He was already a bottle into brooding, and was not expecting company; especially not someone that make his heart pound so hard, which only made him feel drunker. There was a moments pause before Xa'kryn spoke again. "I wanted to apologize..."

 

"For what?" Sora asked, knowing exactly what he was talking about. "For listening to me? Giving me space when I needed it? Showing you actually care?"

 

"For overstepping my bounds..." he replied. "I felt I had taken advantage of you in that moment... and half expected you to slap me..." He added taking another sip from the goblet.

 

The singer shook his head as he took a seat next to the paladin, who now abandon his drink to the flat rock he had been using. "Even if I hadn't needed that, I don't think I would have slapped you..." There was an awkward silence as the two of them went slightly pink and averted their gaze momentarily. The word 'need' particularly caught Xa'kryn's attention. Still slightly pink in the face, the singer spoke up once more "...is it good stuff or the cheap stuff?" he asked looking over to the Paladin he had just sat next too. He was a little more flustered then he expected to be. This was the first time he's ever seen him out of full plated armor, and his loose fitting Kimono that showed off the Elezen's very muscular core as it draped off his shoulders very slightly exposing more of his midriff.

 

"Never the cheap stuff..." Xa'kryn replied going slightly pink as he watch Sora try to stop his eyes from wandering. "I've never been able to drink much of anything aside from Ishgardian wine..." He frowned slightly as he remembered that Scylus would just call him picky.

 

"I've never tried Ishgardian wine before. How did you get your hands on that?" Sora asked. "I've heard it's expensive and hard to get..."

 

"I've got some contacts who still sell me bottles through a third party..." he replied sitting up and grabbing his goblet once more. "I had Momodi arrange for these to be picked up for me a while ago; but you are correct. It is not cheap... 25k a bottle."Xa'kryn smirked slightly at the little bit of shock he could see on the singers face as he said the price.

 

"For a bottle? That's impressive, even too me... I spend so much money on traveling, I tend to drink whatever I can afford at the time." Sora replied honestly as he watch Xa'k top the goblet up to the brim.

 

The Elezen took one more small sip out of his goblet, and swapped it from his right hand to his left before offering it over to the singer. "If you like." He said glancing just behind Sora's head as a Gridanian caravan guard glared in his direction but maintained his position just out of hearing range. "It is much stronger then Eorzean wine, you may not like it... It is an acquired taste; and it's something I've grown up with."

 

He was not kidding when he said it was strong, not only in taste, but also in alcohol content. Even though he only take a small sip, it was enough to make him want to cough as he tried to swallow it. As not to make too much of a scene, he stifled it with his hand. Sora was embarrassed by the fact that he could not bare to drink such expensive wine. He had hoped to be able to tough it out, and not look weak, but the paladin only smiled. "W-why do you have a need to drink something that strong?" Sora asked trying not too cough as the sting of the alcohol burned his throat.

 

"This is what I always drink." Xa'k replied simply as he took the goblet back from the singer and took another sip with ease. "I've not found an Eorzean wine is strong enough for me."

 

"That's because your looking for spirits, not wine." Sora quipped before going pink, not meaning come off as sassy. "If it's so strong, then why do you feel the need to drink so heavily?" Sora said; Xa'kryn could watch the singers eyes dart to the other empty bottle laying beside is recorked one. "We've only arrived a few hours ago, and you're not only on your second glass, but your second bottle." Sora added with a frown as his eyes dart back and lock onto the Paladin's violet eyes. "Body-guarding for me wasn't that horrible, was it?."

 

"No." he said without hesitation, frowning slightly back at him. "Of course not."

 

"Then why do you feel the need to drink so much so fast?" Sora asked while inching a little closer as he shifted his whole body to look at him.

 

"I was supposed to drink with some dickhead who I'm told didn't come back..." Xa'k replied, his thoughts now going back to Scylus and the rumours. "so I figured, why not? He's not going to need this bottle tonight." he added taking another sip from his goblet and averting his gaze to the distance; starting to get a little angry as he thought about the charges against him.

 

"...I'm sorry..." Sora said frowning as he saw the paladin clench the fist of his free hand slightly.

 

"...You aren't the one who needs to apologize." Xa'k said softly glancing back to the singer for a moment before abandoning his goblet to the side again. "When I find him, I'll beat one out of him."

 

"... may I ask... why he didn't show...?" Sora inquired hesitantly. He started to get a strange tightness in his chest as the paladin speak of another man, though not all too certain of what it meant in the moment.

 

"That is an answer I'd like to properly know myself..." Xa'kryn replied. "...They say he went A.W.O.L. on this last mission... that he did some unspeakable things to comrades, and I refuse to believe it until I hear it out of his punchable face."

 

Sora bit his lip. He knew who he was talking about now for sure. "...Scylus, then..." to which he got a somewhat stunned look from Xa'k. "That face alone answered my next question."

 

"And how do you know, Scy?" Xa'kryn asked, to which Sora shook his head.

 

"I don't... but Toreku does..." Sora replied. "He was very upset when he found out, and like you, doesn't believe the charges for a second.." He hesitated before asking, his heart pounding slightly, and fighting off the rosiness in his cheeks. "...Who is Scylus to you...?"

 

"He is my mentor." Xa'kryn replied, "He is more like a brother and a father to me, when I had lost both to exile. I know he is incapable of doing something that horrendous. I don't care who the source is, they have to be mistaken somehow. It's all lies." he at one point had been trying to hide the emotion in his voice but the alcohol made it impossible; he was angered at how many comrades who have known Scylus for decades would believe such a thing so easily. "I want to be able to help, but I'm banned from the investigation, and pursuing it myself would be cause for court martial; though I am tempted. I've lost it all before, I don't really care if I lose it all again if I again have to choose what is right over what is law." He was getting angry again as he thought about his Guild Masters reaction. "And Mylla; I can't believe that someone who has known him so long could even think for a second that the accusations are true." His hands were starting to shake at his side as gaze down to the dirt with the momentary thought to vent his frustrations on it.

 

Sora's heart thump softly in his chest as did the only thing he could think of; he reached out his hand for Xa'k's and he interlace their fingers together which turned the paladin's attention back to him. The moment Xa'kryn's gaze returned to him he found himself on his knees, rather then sitting, and gently locking their lips together; at a loss for words of comfort in this moment.

 

This kiss was much longer then their previous, nearly doubling their record. It was when Sora went to gently pull away, that his knees lost their footing on the soft ground of the mini mesa, and Xa'kryn reached his arms out instantly to catch him before he slipped too far from him and pulled him a little closer to his chest then he meant too. The singer now found himself straddling the paladins thigh, and both of them were quite red in the face as they were chest to chest. It was then that he felt something between them, causing both of them to go a shade darker; the paladin more then the singer. "...Ignore it." Xa'kryn said softly after a second or two.

"...over a kiss?" The singer questioned with a slight smirk.

"I asked you to ignore it..."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning Xa'kryn found out that Toreku had hired him on for another fortnight, which he didn't think Mylla would allow. He correctly deducted that this was her way of keeping him away from the investigation, and distracted. It did work, however. The next week went by relatively well, despite a few moments in town where he could over hear someone muttering about disliking the Paladins.

Even though they hadn't gotten that close since the night, the two had stolen a couple moments of flirting when the timing was right. Xa'kryn was caught several times gazing at him and blushed faintly for several reasons. He still found it difficult to make direct eye contact without thinking about the moment his body seemed to betray him. He blamed the alcohol, even though it wasn't that. It had been too long for him, and Sora was far too beautiful for a man.

Sora prematurely decided to ask to have a show a little earlier, to close the Moonfire Faire off, to which was immediately granted. Little Ala Mhigo was the perfect place for a show, as they usually ended the Faire in Ul'dah with a giant fireworks display, larger then any of the previous nights. Construction of the staging area went fast, as it merely needed an extension as there had been a few minor performances there for the past couple nights. Toreku held a raffle for a heavily guarded meet and greet with Sora himself. Toreku announced the winner after the show once Sora headed off stage and back to his dressing area for a much needed refreshment. 

Xa'kryn was the one to stand guard at he gate inside the Mesa. He greeted with winner with a frown as she squealed with delight. 

"Xa'kky!" she exclaimed . She was a very pretty, very well endowed Miqo'te woman dressed in a low cut Yukata. "I knew you'd be guarding here! Can you believe it?! I won!"

"The one time you have luck on your side it for something mundane." he replied. "Where was that luck on that last mission." he smirked as he folded his arms across his chest, reminding her that she nearly slipped down an embankment in the middle of the fight, leaving the group without a healer. 

 

"I'm pretty sure you stole it; or else you wouldn't have been able to save me, and Kori." She retorted sticking a tongue out.

"I'm pretty sure I did that because I needed both my healers to not die." He replied honestly. 

 

"I'm pretty sure you'd try to save me regardless of the danger in the situation." She teased pressing up against him to watch him squirm. She made sure that her breasts separated and gave him a nice wide gap down her top to gaze into, so which he immediately averted his eyes and got flustered, but also angry. "That's because you are forever my knight in shining armour."

"Your knight?" He questioned. "I'm not your knight..."

 

"Oh... I suppose you may be right." She smirked as she stood on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he went red and looked away from her. "You're his Knight, aren't you?" She said glancing over the paladin's shoulder to see a tuft of blue a floor above in the distance talking too his manager. Xa'kryn just went red and stay silent. He had not only been comrades with her for a couple of years now, but also adopted into her family, and has been like an older sibling to her since they met, but this was one this that he hadn't told her. "Don't play dumb. I see the way you look at him. It's plain even from the audience. Why didn't you tell me you were that way?" She pouted. "Could have saved me a lot of heartache, you know."

"Come off it." He said grabbing her arms gently at the elbow and taking them off of his shoulders. "I didn't need to tell you. I thought it blatantly obvious." He replied dropping her hands to her sides and returning his to their place across his chest. "And you only flirt cause you know I dislike it." to which he only got a smirk in reply. 

"The only thing that makes it obvious, my dear, is your distain for breasts. It's super hard not to pick on a weakness like that." she replied still giddy. "You know my flirting used to actually be genuine." 

 

"I am aware." He retorted. "You handled 'my oath' as an excuse well."

 

"So you only break your oath for men, I see." She smirked as she saw Sora approach from the top of the landing. "I can't believe I'm finally going to meet him. This is so exciting! and you!" She turned to Xa'k. "You really do steal all the luck. You get to be with him all the time."

"...I wish." he breathed honestly for a moment and went slightly pink again. 

"I'm so excited I can't bare it. Hold me, Xa'kky." She went to cling to his arm before catching his darkest glare to which she only grinned even wider, knowing she touched on a nerve. "I was just kidding, hun." She said with a smirk as she retracted he arms. "What's he like? Must be something special to get that stick out of your ass." 

"You're about to find out, quit your fidgeting." he replied. "...You'll get your gossip later, Negs but not from me, but I know you well enough that you will, one way or another, wont you?"

"Touché." The miqo'te suddenly focused her entire attention onto the approaching singer and was trying hard not to look too flustered, though she was visibly very excited. "I wish I had my camera..." She glared at the paladin who smirked back at her; he made sure the other guards removed it before she entered, and even her back up, which appeared as a tiny aetheryte crystal pendant.

Sora was getting nervous as he started to make his approach, and trying very hard to contain and bottle the feelings that were burning in his chest. He already quite disliked this woman and was struck by the sudden epiphany that he had become jealous the instant her hands touched his shoulders. He saw it all from a distance, and had tried very hard to listen to what Toreku was trying to tell him and failed miserably. 

"...You two seem to know each other quite well." Sora said with a smile as he approached the two. 

"This is Negega Neel," Xa'kryn introduces to Sora. "She's a freelancer from Gridania who has accompanied my squad on several missions."

 

"You could have just said I'm a friend." she teased and stuck her tongue at the paladin to which he rolled his eyes.

 

"She's the contest winner... and she works for The Raven." He added now focusing on the singer who was unable to return his gaze. 

 

"No fair!" the miqo'te journalist, exclaimed. "And I thought us exilee's stuck together." to which she got another glare as he take a few steps back and lean against the wall; but again she only smirked in return. "You can call me Negs if you like, it's what my friends call me." She beamed in the direction of the singer. 

Sora strained a smile and glance behind him to Toreku still on the ramp. "With all due respect Ms. Neel." 

"Oooh, so formal." She beamed, positively glowing as she hear the first words directed to her from a singer she admired.

"..." Sora looked around, glancing over to the Paladin and getting that crushing feeling in his chest again before looking away. "May we postpone our arrangement tonight for another." he asked. "I am starting to feel under the weather..." He was trying to not hint with any form of body language that this was only partially true. He had been feeling sicker incrementally, which was one of his reasons for requesting an earlier show; the truth was he just wanted to be away from everyone, especially the Paladin who's eyes hadn't once dropped their focus on him. 

Negega was able to read him like a book and saw the cutest look of jealousy before he had even left the landing. She feigned like she hadn't noticed, like she was good at. "Oh no, that's terrible." she exclaimed. "I do hope you weren't pushing yourself tonight." she beamed in his direction and made her way closer to him and took his hand in his. "I'll be happy to accept a raincheck so long as I actually get to chat with you." 

 

It took all he was to not reef his hand from her grasp; he felt sick that she even touched him. He tried not to grimace through his fake smile. "have Toreku make the arrangements." he said pulling his hand from hers and walking quickly to the back of the Mesa and out, heading south. 

Xa'kryn arched his brow and frowned as he watch him leave and he get up from where he learned, making his way out before Toreku could finish saying the words. "follow him, Xa'k." 

"Oh my. He is adorable when he's jealous." Negega beamed as she watched her friend follow the singer out into the desert. 

 

Sora did not look back, though he knew that he was being followed. He locked himself away in his cabin at the forgotten springs as soon as he made camp. Behind closed doors he immediately broke down. He was foolish for believing that he was really ready to move on. It hurt to watch her touch him so frivolously and more so each second it took for him to remove her grasp it made his stomach turned into knots. Too see someone else make the paladin blush so hard was like a weigh on his chest. He was hoping to be the only one to see him like that.

He collapsed onto the floor, at first crying, then unable to breath as his panic attack and his sickness got worse. 

Xa'kryn was not far behind him, and entered the cabin only a minute after the singer had. He furrows his brow and frowned slightly as he listens for any signs of him as he approached the door. He very faintly could hear gasping from the other side of the door as he stood in front of it. "Sora." he said loud enough to be clearly heard on the other side of the door. Hearing no response seem to set off some alarms in his head and he repeated his clients name a couple of times before trying the handle to find it had been locked. "If you do not tell me to leave, I will break this door down."

 

Sora could hear his voice clearly through the thick wooden door. He tried calling out to him, but his chest felt heavy, and he was barely able to even get in a partial breath. Tears well in his eyes once more, this time more due to lack of breath and he reaches a hand out toward the door he had foolishly locked behind himself. 

 

Xa'kryn waited a solid five seconds for a response before sizing up the door. This would be the one time he wished he had Scylus's hands for thieves tools and could with ease pick nearly every lock. Unfortunately for him, all he had was his strength. It took a couple of tries before the wood started to crack; and with one final shoulder check, the door became a jar enough for him to step through. 

 

"Sora." Xa'kryn breathed as he rushed to his side. The Paladin softly touched the singers forehead and felt that his fever had returned. It pained him to see him like this. He wrapped his arms around him and lifted him from the ground. He carried him over to the bed, but never lay him down. Instead, he kept him on his lap, and wrapped in his arms. The Paladin gently placed his right hand onto the singers chest. He was able to feel the struggles of his lungs for breath, and the hard pounding of his heart. 

 

"... Give me a moment." he said softly under his breath. "I know it's hard, but try to take slow steady breaths for as long as you are able." The Paladin then started muttering quietly in a language Sora had never heard before. It sounded strong, but also elegant. The Paladins armor started to give off a soft white light on one side of the breast plate and shoot a gentle stream though the metal and into the Paladins hand. the singer found it easier and easier to take steadier breaths as the light absorbed into his chest. he couldn't tell if the heat from his fever, the magic, his embarrassment that his face flush slightly. He was unable to properly look at the Paladin who still chant unwavering, though desperately looking to make eye contact.

Sora couldn't find anything to say to the Paladin. Second after second it became easier for Sora to breathe. he tried to take the Paladin's advice as try to breathe as normally as possible, he was still apprehensive and upset; he wanted to ask him if he had ever done this for that woman and upset himself further by imagining it. Red in the face for two reasons, he glanced to make eye contact with the Paladin before asking "Have you ever done this for her before?" then averting his gaze. 

"The only other person I have done this for is my twin." he assured him. "Twi-" Sora was about to inquire when Xa'kryn gently rested his head against his and his grip started to falter. "Will you be alright by yourself for an hour....?" 

"What?" Sora asked, going slightly darker red in the face as the Paladin lent on him. "... Yes..." 

"Good..." Xa'kryn breathed as he collapsed onto his side, against the bed, having nearly spent all of his mana. He was out cold before his head hit the mattress with Sora still on his lap; the hand that he had been using as a focus point dropped to the singers thigh as it fell.

"Xa'k?!" the singer exclaimed; unable to do anything as he watch the paladin collapse behind him. He was red in the face when he realized where the paladin's hand had landed on his thigh and felt the warmth of his fingers on the bare skin below the fabric of his tight shorts. He bites his lip as he slips himself off of the paladin's lap and reached out to touch his face. Xa'kryn felt cool to the touch, but Sora couldn't tell if that was because his own fever was running was still running so high that he felt such a difference. He was desperately trying not to panic and set this all off again. "He knew this was going to happen?" Sora thought aloud. It took Sora a few minutes to abandon Xa'kryn's side and search out help; which came in the form of the very first person he saw. His twin sister, Rachel.

He didn't even explain why he needed her, he just urged her to follow him back into his cabin, and into his bedroom by basically dragging her by the arm. 

She furrowed her brow slightly as she entered her brothers bedroom to see the paladin they had hired collapsed into what could only assume was an uncomfortable position, especially still clad in that armor. "Do something." Sora said as he pulled her closer to the bed and now in the light Rachel could clearly see the look of worry upon her brothers face.

"...What happened?" She asked wondering why he was even in here.

"I don't know, he was helping me breath and the next thing I know he collapsed." 

"Helping you breathe? How?" She inquired before shaking her head; He was a paladin, he did know how to cast some white magic after all.

Her brother answered anyway trying not to blush as he remember it; nearly forgetting how upset he was at him in his worry. "Some sort of magic... Nothing like the healers I remember from my childhood... this worked... instantly." He remembered hours in the center of a focus circle and never being able to breathe as easily as he could under five minutes of Xa'kryn's magic.

Rachel takes a moment to look him over. She notes his drop in temperature as she checks his forehead, and casts a regeneration spell on him before moving her hand and glances back to her brother; "Calm down, he's just asleep." She said as she got up from where she momentarily sat. Though she did note he was paler then usual, and had the symptoms of severe mana drain, though he was just on the edge of being able to recover on his own. She kept this information from Sora as not to fuel his sickness. "He'll wake up in an hour or two." she said gently rolling Xa'kryn onto his back as to put him in a more comfortable position.

Sora sighed in relief before feeling his sisters hand on his own forehead. "And you're feeling better...?" She asked with a frown.

 

"...well.... the worst of it is over..." Sora replied blushing ever so slightly through the fever as he remembered the magic Xa'k had cast. 

"You should still rest... Come, let's sleep together, and let him stay where he is... " She said softly caressing her brothers face as she stopped taking his temperature. She glanced back to the Paladin that slept peacefully on the bed. "You know, He's actually quite beautiful without that worried scowl on his face all the time..." She admitted out loud; to which her brother blushed slightly, but she could not really tell due to his already fever flushed face. He took his sisters advice and lay down with her in her bedroom. It took mere moments before he fell asleep, still thinking about the paladin; blushing at the thought of him sleeping on his bed.

Xa'kryn woke up nearly two hours later. He was a little groggy, but otherwise fine. He was surprised he felt as well as he did. He had gone a little too far and pushed his body more than he meant too. He hadn't cast that spell in a very long time, and he wasn't sure if it would even work, but it worked well; too well. 

He sat up on the bed slowly and gave himself another moment to settle his head before making his way out of Sora's room, leaning on the door frame for a moment as he exited as to steady himself. Someone in the corner of the room caught his attention as she sit in the chair by the fire. She gaze at him from the moment he enter the room and look as though she had something to say. He had only every just been something in the background too her, so he was a little apprehensive about his first one on one interaction with her.

"How are you feeling?" Asked Rachel, gazing into his eyes for the first time properly since they met.

"Better... Thank you..." He replied. He only surmised that the only reason he didn't quite literally feel like death was because of her healing magic. He could still feel the traces of it in his system making him better able to stand under his own power with every second.

"...Why would you go that far?" She asked. "I mean, I'm grateful, I really am, but you really pushed yourself to the edge, didn't you?"

"..." he wasn't sure how to word it properly. The ability to even be able to cast the spell on Sora was his answer to why; he was in love. "...It had been years since I've used that spell... I momentarily lost myself and pushed myself further then I had meant... I apologize for any trouble I may have caused..." He was too focused on his feelings, and gave Sora a little more then he meant too. 

She wasn't sure if she accepted that as an answer but was more curious about the magic than anything else. "I have to ask; just what sort of magic was that? Sora described it to me, and it's nothing like anything I've ever heard from the conjurerer's guild." She replied. "He said you soothed in minutes what it took a healing circle of mages hours to even get under control."

"..It isn't conjurer magic." he replied as he took a couple of steps towards the fire from the door where he had been standing. "It's Astrologian magic."

"Astrologian?" She asked, never have heard of it and she seemed to perk up. 

"Ishgardian healing arts..." He replied unconsciously placing his hand by his heart for a moment before letting it drop to his side. "Astrologian magic relies on the stars alignment to properly cast spells... My mother was a head researcher..."

"Is there anyway you could-" she was cut off.

"...If you asking to be taught it; I'm sorry." He replied. "I cannot teach you, as I was never formally trained." He added honestly which got him a funny look from Rachel. 

 

"If you were never trained, how did you use that spell?"

"Bloodline?" He shrugged. "It's unique... only to me and doesn't rely on the normal Astrologian techniques. My mother taught me when I was young to protect my brother and I could not teach you if I wanted too. I'm sorry." he replied. 

She was disappointed to hear that news. She had been desperately searching for something very a like that since she was a child. "I understand. I just wished I knew such magic existed long ago." She sighed. "Thank you again for helping Sora." she added as she got to her feet and crossed the room closer too him. "Would you mind watching him while I run to the Alchemist's guild in Ul'dah to pick up some of his medicine?" she asked. "He's sleeping in my room right now."

 

"But Of course." Xa'kryn replied. The paladin waited until Rachel had packed her bags and left the cabin before hesitantly peering into her bedroom. Sora lay sleeping on her bed on top of all of the sheets. His face was flushed even though he slept, and he had a cool cloth on his forehead to help bring down his fever. His heart pound hard in his chest now more then ever as he cross the room over to the singer with the epiphany in his heart that he would not have been able to cast that spell without his feelings for the singer.

He took a moment taking in the singers sleeping features as he approached thinking to himself how beautiful he was before removing the now warm cloth from his forehead. Xa'kryn wring out the cloth that wait in the bowl of iced water next to Sora's bed and carefully replaces the warm one with the cool one. It was then that the singer stir and furrow his brow. 

"Xa'k...?" Sora sighed sleepily upon seeing the Paladin's face lent above him with his hand still touching his forehead and blushed ever so faintly. 

"I'm sorry; I never meant to wake you." Xa'k said softly, slowly retracting his hand after adjusting the cloth so it stay on Sora's forehead. "...Are you feeling better?" He asked momentarily taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes... thanks to you..." Sora replied honestly blushing a little. "...are you alright?" he asked, genuinely worried still about the paladin's collapsing.  
"I'm fine." he replied. "I was just tired, I'm sorry. I never meant to worry you."  
There was a slight awkward silence before Sora broke it with a question he had tried to ask earlier. "...You said you have a twin, right...? Were they sick too?"

"My brother has been sick from birth... and would suffer lung seizures much like yours..." he replied, thinking about his brother for the first time in a while. "I was taught how to cast that very young after we almost lost him to one... I'm glad it worked the same for you." He tried not to blush remembering the words of his mother in his head; 'it runs on love'. 

"What was that magic?" Sora asked also trying not to blush as he remembered the sensation of Xa'kryn's hand against his chest and the warmth that filled it with that light. He was just as curious about it as Rachel, if not more having been the one to suffer through such attacks without much relieve even with everyone's hard efforts. 

"Astrologian magic..." he replied gazing down to the floor, hands loosely folded in his lap. "but more over it was my mother's magic... so no one else can replicate it... at least not here." he left out the part where it was also dangerous to try to replicate for fear of worrying him. "I already told your sister that if I could teach it to her, I would, but I cannot. I'm sorry..."

"Xa'k... you don't need to keep apologizing..." Sora reached out and grabbed Xa'kryn by the hand which drew his gaze back to him. "Thank you... for all your help tonight." the singer said softly as he slowly sit up, and the cloth fall to the bed. Sora gaze into those violet eyes before very softly kissing him without even thinking his actions through. Xa'kryn gently gripped the singers hand in return. The kiss was only interrupted by the sound of the font cabin door swinging open with the return of the Lalafell Manager. Sora blushed deeply as he pulled away startled by the sound. Xa'kryn smiles softly though slightly pink. He gently pushes the singer back down against the bed and replaces the cool cloth before getting up and leaving the room; leaving them both with hearts pounding hard in their chest.


	3. Chapter 3

~~

Xa'kryn was asked to escort Sora and Toreku to the Coffer and Coffin just outside of Ul'dah one night just over a week later. Unfortunately for him, it was the 'raincheck' that Sora owed the journalist from Gridania. 

"Oh! And you've brought Xa'kky too!" She beamed at him and he frowned. He very much knew her game at this point. Her eyes were on the singer, not on him, hoping to see some sort of reaction from the blue haired beau; she already knew Xa'kryn's feelings, even if he remained stoic; this is the first time in five years that he has shown interest in anyone and she was very keen to instantly pick up on it. Sora, feeling much better then he had weeks previous, was actually enjoying his drink after his performance in Ul'dah. He was feigning to enjoy, however, conversation with this particular fan. The Coffer and Coffin was empty asides from them and the bartender, who allowed Negega to sit on his side of the bar so she could be across from Sora.

She frowned as she watch her Paladin friend sweep the inside of the building and destroy some of her fragile crystals that he found in many corners of the room, and wasn't satisfied until he saw her wince slightly as the last one made a high pitched noise in her ear, which the Elezen was just able to hear. She was very inquisitive and spent little time with small talk before getting to the questions that have been on the back of her mind. As of most of Eorzea, she was quite curious about the singers personal life.

"Now, I must know, just when it was that you found your aptitude for singing?" She beamed. "and how old you were when you did you're first performance?" she added. "I'm not from Eorzea, so I had never heard of you until a couple of years ago."

"It didn't start with singing, actually. I started with playing the piano and a little violin." he answered honestly. He adverted his gaze slightly, trying to compose himself as he said; "It's not something I like to talk about a lot, but I was really sick... a lot when I was younger, to the point where I was not allowed to go outside. There was a piano in my parents' FC house and I started to just play around. There were a few books on music as well. Once I learned how to read music everything just clicked. Due to part of my illness singing at first was very difficult, but I learned to actually work with it. And I can't stress this enough to any of my fans; even if something seems impossible because of an illness or a physical disability, there is always a way to make it happen." He thought for a moment; "As for my first real time on stage I was almost seventeen, during a music festival in Gridania."

"So that's why Gridanian's especially love you." She beamed. "Sixteen is quite young to start performing... Even I was much older..." She almost seemed to say out loud to herself. "Were you signed automatically? When did you first really start touring Eorzea?"

"It was shortly after that... I did a little bit of touring in Gridania first before making my way west towards Ul'dah and I haven't really stopped since then..." 

"Many people were wondering why you suddenly stopped touring earlier this spring. I always wondered why that seemed so odd to them... but that was your first 'break' from singing since you became The Light of Eorzea. Why did you compel yourself to go years on end traveling without stopping once for yourself?" she asked, again with the same steadfast smile.

"... It was my manager's call that I take some time and it was for that reason. I cannot and should not push myself as hard as I was. But my fans drive me, I dislike the idea that I could disappoint them. 'The show must go on', so they say, whether or not I am feeling ill or otherwise."

"Rumor has it it was because you still hadn't recovered from you're break up." this was the one statement she's said all night that was not accompanied by a smile. "You had always been seen with a male Miqo'te until this year." She took the opportunity to adjust in her seat. Her arm was lent on the table across her, and the other hand gently propping her head up with her hand against her cheek, subtly exposing her cleavage as she relaxed in that pose. "Do you happen to have a thing for Miqo'tes?" she asked staring hard into his Azure eyes; she fought off a smirk as the singer went red in the face slightly. "Or is it just males?" she added with a very quick glance to the paladin sat in the corner of the room that she could see just behind Sora's head. "all of Eorzea knew about you two; and still love you, so there is little sense denying it, is there?

He adverted her gaze again his blush darkening as he caught a glimpse of her cleavage. "No... he just happened to BE Miqo'te..." he sighed slightly and looked her in the eye; "And I haven't denied anything. I prefer men."

"There are many who still want to fool themselves into thinking they have a chance." She replied, returning his gaze. "How many men have you dated if you've always known you've liked men?" she inquired returning to her normal smirk.

It was taking all he could to contain the anger he was feeling, it took him this long to be able to just smile again, and this woman was not letting this topic go; "Just the one..." he answered with an honest sigh.

"So, why did he leave you?" she asked earnestly. Her gaze never wavered from his. She could see in his eyes just how hurt and angry he was even having it brought up and he seemed speechless for an answer. He avert his gaze from hers, gently sucking on his own bottom lip as his mind was forced to go over that night once more. 

Suddenly, Rachel burst in the door. She immediately drew all of his attention and his brow furrowed he looked his sister up and down as she stood next to him completely out of breath; "Where did you run off to?"

 

She took a few more breaths before she could even continue, "I... went to... meet someone..." 

 

Sora arched his eyebrow; "You got a boyfriend you haven't told me about?"

 

She looked away, a little embarrassed; "We've been secretly dating for awhile...." she looked at her brother out of the corner of her eye; "He's really nervous about meeting you, with you being so famous and all." 

 

Sora shook his head; "What does that have to do with anything? He's dating you, not me." he laughed. 

 

"That's what I said, but he just isn't ready to meet you yet." she turned back to him fully, leaning on the table to get a good read on his face as she asked; "Would it be okay if I went away with him for awhile?"

 

He blinked a few times as she stared at him. He smiled at her; "You don't need my blessing, if you love the guy, go. I'll be okay, I promise." He rose from his seat as she stood up straight once more and gave his sister a warm but firm embrace. "I'll miss you, I hope your journey together is worth it." he whispered in her ear as he held her for a minute or two. "Stay for one more drink, at least?" he asked. 

 

Xa'kryn had been watching the whole interaction from a corner of the room and he noted that his journalist friend was keen to take notes. Somewhere in the midst of Sora and Rachel's conversation he got up from his seat and walked over to the Miqo'te woman, who's attention was wholly on her idol and his twin. Without a word he gingerly took the pen from her hand and 'accidentally' tilted the quill as to spatter a bit of ink onto her page as she reached to get it back when her attention was snapped back to him. She frowned as he smirked and he walked away with quill in hand back to his corner. As she was still eavesdropping, he knew she wouldn't speak.

 

"... Alright." Rachel replied returning the hug she was given. 

"Just let me finish this up." he whispered to her before turning back to his guest. 

"My! Twins! I knew you had one, but no one told me that she was equally as beautiful as you." Negega beamed; the statement caused Rachel to blush very slightly. 

"It sounds like you might want a moment to yourselves." Xa'kryn said softly to the twins with a quick glance to the Miqo'te woman who was quick to get the hint. 

Negega got up from her chair after attempting to blot the ink from her notebook and somewhat failing. "Indeed! I would hate to interrupt such sweet parting." she said with a smile. "I thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you so informally. I will very likely see you again when you tour Gridania. Toreku informed me that you are going there soon and has given me permission to promote the next contest." she said walking over to Xa'kryn and held out her hand palm up; he very reluctantly gives her back her quill before she heads to the door . "I do hope you find early autumn Gridania as beautiful as I do."

Xa'kryn had gotten up and made sure that his Miqo'te friend had actually left before guarding the entrance and giving Sora and his sister as much privacy as he could afford. 

 

Rachel and Sora got to share their private drink together, while Xa'kryn stood watch just outside the open door. They talked for a mere twenty minutes before Rachel gave her brother one last tight embrace and dashed out the door as quickly as she had arrived. Xa'kryn furrowed his brow as he watched her dash off towards Ul'dah. 

 

Toreku had stepped out with the bartender to settle their tab for the night. Xa'kryn frowns as he enters the room and saw that Sora was still somewhat sulking at the bar where he was left. The singer glances back at the paladin for a moment or two before turning too his wine. Xa'kryn could do naught much but lean against the bar next too him. 

 

"...I never meant for her to keep her life so bottled up because of me..." Sora said softly, breaking the silence with his own inner feelings. 

 

"It is, unfortunately, part of the package of being related to someone so famous..." Xa'kryn replied honestly; that was a sentiment that he knew well. "...although, don't you find it curious that she hadn't shown any signs of such a thing until very recently...?"

 

"..." Sora thought a moment as he finished his glass of wine. "Not really... It must have been exhausting trying to keep her relationship a secret... and I fear she was only trying to protect my feelings... as not to rub it in that she felt so happy when I was feeling so miserable..." He replied as he refilled his glass, then poured another and handed it down to the Paladin. Xa'kryn furrowed his brow and was about to decline when he was cut off. "Come on, just one glass will be fine; this will do nothing to you if all do drink is spirits."

 

"Alright." Xa'kryn gave into the singers logic and takes the glass in hand. The two drink in silence for a moment or two before the paladin spoke up once more. "Sora... permission to be blunt?"

"You don't need my permission for that...." 

"Negega is a journalist. She's already been phishing you for information since the moment you stepped into this bar, and all though you are not forthcoming with it, she still gets what she wants by reading people; Every reaction is noted. She was literally writing down notes about your sister's boyfriend before she had even finished telling you about it." 

"...so what are you trying to tell me?" He retorted with his glass nearly to his mouth, "Be mindful of what I say to her? Because I already-"

"I know you were." he replied. "but sometimes it's what you don't say..." he furrowed his brow wondering how else to put it, so he'll say it bluntly. "...just come to expect you're words to be twisted in the next publishing of the raven and your lack of words to be twisted farther, especially when it comes to your personal life..." 

Sora was about to reply when they, again, were interrupted by the sudden presence of the tour manager returning with the bartender. The paladin was netted a funny look by the Lalafell as he put the glass down off to the side. 

 

 

~~~

 

Xa'kryn had given Sora a warning about his journalist friend expecting to go back to his regular duties and to not see him again for a couple of months. Much to his surprise however, Mylla had called in some favor and was able to gather a couple more paladins from the outreaches of Eorzea, and beyond. When he arrived to hear about his new assignment, he was told it was basically his old assignment; to protect Sora Evens and his troupe wherever they go. The contract was extended the whole three month round trip from Ul'dah through the other two city states and back again. By then Mylla hoped to have all this about Scylus sorted out, and have at least Xa'kryn return to regular duty; Scylus's fate had yet to be determined, though Xa'k still vehemently believes his innocence.

 

Sora had everything packed and was waiting at the gates of Nald on the carriage when he saw a familiar face again. The singer fought off going slightly pink as he saw Xa'kryn not in full mythril armor like he usually had, but instead something more elegant that just solid protection. The pauldrons were golden and of intricate design and the gloves the darkest of black with gold stitching to match the pauldrons; Also with elegant gold weaving, the bulk of the fabric was an abyssal blue that played off the tones of his eyes, but only Sora knew that at this distance. The Azure singer eyes dart in the direction Xa'kryn had been gazing; now watch as a man was nearly drug across the desert stands by a big, beautiful, black Chocobo, who rushed over to greet the Elezen. 

 

"You have her run?" he asked, arms folded across his chest as the stable hand approached; From a distance Sora could see that the Paladin did not look impressed.

"Everyday." He replied handing over the reins. Xa'kryn could tell that this was not true, at least not for the past couple of days. She was excitable, and he had a hard time even keeping her close the moment she saw her master. 

"...I would take to supervising your stable-hands, if I were you; that or pay them enough so they actually care about their job." he replied. "I didn't ask her to be run every day, and give you a premium for no reason; She is a former racing bird." he added. "A champion, might I add. She's only this excited to see me because she knows she'll get a proper run." He reached his hand out and caressed the silky black feathers of the Chocobo that was eager to nudge him as he got close, had he not been used to it, he might have been knocked over. "They didn't even take you to the saucer, did they." he said as he stroke her feathers. "Too bad, they could have made some pretty coin." he added getting into the saddle, and giving her a few Ghylsal Greens. "Next time, see too it she's properly cared for, will ya." 

 

Toreku gives the order for the caravan to start moving just as Xa'kryn was catching up too the pack. Sora found himself watching the paladin from the front of the carriage as he and his Chocobo stride up to the front of the pack. 

 

"I'm going to take a few laps around the caravan." Xa'kryn said to the tour manager. 

 

The Lalafell arched a brow in his direction but gave him an approving nod after noticing the tattoo on the birds leg. "...How did you get your hands on a racing bird?" He asked before the paladin had a chance to dart away. Xa'kryn just smirked. "I won her." he replied simply not wanting to go into the lengthy details of rescuing an abused bird. "She doesn't like racing much, do you Eva?" which netted him a excited Kweh in retort. "She much rather run for fun then for sport, and had neglected to get hers."

 

"She won't tire before Gridania, will she?"

 

"If she doesn't burn some energy now, she'll want to run all the way to Gridania without you." He replied. "Just a few laps; it won't take long." He said before giving his bird the okay to run as she pleases, which was at least four times the caravans current speed. 

 

At a very moderate pace and stopping to make camp each nightfall, the troupe made it to Gridania within the four days they had planned for. After a quick stop at Busccaron's Druthers, the rest of the caravan diverged and made their way to Hawthorne's hut via Quarry mill. Toreku went on ahead with his very small carriage pulled by a single Chocobo. Sora very bashfully sits in the saddle on the black Chocobo with the Paladin, who insist he sit in front of him, not behind like the singer had originally wanted. Though less armor clad then normal, he was glad to have just enough actual plating under his Ishgardian dress armor to hide the fact that his paladin training was failing him once more. Both of them went slightly pink as the Paladin held the singer by the waist and tightly held him against himself for a moment as to steady Sora and stop him from sliding off; the Chocobo took off a little more excited then she meant too. It took a moment to steady their quickened pulse as they continued up the road to Central Shroud, and into New Gridania. The trip through the shroud was very quiet and relaxing, though the two Chocobo back were far more anxious then either let on; both fighting back butterflies as they rode in such close quarters.

 

Toreku stopped at the adventurer's guild to speak with Mother Miounne for a quick moment and Xa'kryn was told to go off ahead with Sora to Mih Khetto's Amphitheater, and wait for him there. Their walk through Gridania had not gone unnoticed however. Many fans already seemed to recognize him, and heads turned as they passed them by. Xa'kryn, lead Sora there very close. After ten minutes of waiting Toreku contacted Sora by link-pearl and informed him that he was going to be much later then he had thought. The Elezen could just barely hear this though the link-pearl in the singers hand as he held it to his ear. "That's alright. I wanted to go see Luscia anyway. I'll do that now." 

 

The pair made their way through the streets once more, only this time a crowd had gathered. Xa'kryn placed a hand on the singers shoulder as he lead him towards the docks to the Lavender Beds. By the time they had arrived Gridanian Security had properly dealt with the crowd, and one of the head Adder's reminded them that the singer had just arrived, and needed time to rest.

 

Xa'kryn was followed by half a dozen other Addar's who accompany them through the Lavender-beds to a very quaint little home. Four of them entered along with Sora, while Xa'kryn remained outside to stand watch. 

It was nearly another hour before Toreku contacted them again, apologizing, and asking them to meet up at camp when they are ready. Xa'kryn wondered what the point was of having them come to town anyway, when they could have just joined everyone else at Hawthorne; but then he remembered he wouldn't have had that time alone with Sora.

 

Sora said goodbye to his friend and gave her one last hug before returning to Xa'kryn, who was waiting for him outside. They went to the ferry skipper, and parted with the other Gridanian guards. Again, it was just the two of them, alone, aside from the skipper himself. Sora looked rather relieved to be rid of the excess baggage and seem to relax as soon as they were out of sight. "...Did you get to enjoy your time with your friend..." Xa'kryn said to break the silence. 

 

"I always enjoy spending time with Luscia... I just wish the Adder's... and more over Toreku, would believe me when I say I'll be perfectly safe with her." He replied. "It's impossible to be able to talk properly when there are people constantly over your shoulder..." Sora added before remembering that the Paladin would count as someone over his shoulder, even though he hadn't really meant him at all. The boat docks at Sweetbroom Pier, and the two walk in silence through the Honey Yard toward Hawthorne Hut, where Toreku's troupe had set up camp. Sora stops for a moment as he waits for Xa'kryn to catch up. "Thank you, Xa'k..." then smiled at the perplexed look upon the Paladin's face. "for being the only one to attempt to give me some privacy with Luscia." he smiled sweetly before turning and heading the rest of the way to camp.

~~

The concert in Gridania a couple nights later went off without a hitch. Sora was flawless, as always. Xa'kryn got a much closer view of him this time, and found himself at one point completely entranced by him, and him alone, and not even focused on what he was supposed to be doing; which was watching the crowd for any sort of trouble.

 

To his dread, Toreku informed him shortly afterwards that he had spent that time arranging another contest; and this time since the winner was a member of a prominent Free company in Gridania, he reluctantly obliged for it to be photographed. Before Toreku could even tell him who the paladin opened his mouth, "Don't tell me," Xa'kryn said kind of openly disappointed. "The photographer is Neel." He just shook his head; his efforts to take all of her devices last time seemed wasted. He wanted to tell him that he's going to regret this, but he felt that it was probably only him that disliked the idea so much. 

 

Sora returned from freshening up after the concert and approached the pair who seemed to have come to a disagreement. "What's going on?"

 

"Oh nothing." the manager replied. "I just found out our friend here as an dislike of aether-teleporting." there was a slight smirk on the Lalafell's face. "Regardless, I still need you to be there before us. I'll escort the winner and his companions down to Buscarron's Druthers by Chocoporter as to give you time to do your thing" Xa'kryn sighed, but agreed and took the scroll from the Lalafell who seemed quite pleased.

 

Sora arched his brow as he watched the paladin look the scroll over once, then pocket it instead of opening it. "What are you...?" Sora went to ask but was cut off by the paladin's response.

 

"I don't believe he made it, so we're using one of mine..." He took out a scroll from the other side and unrolled it and finished off the destination in runes. He apologized before holding the singer tight too him and activating the scroll, teleporting both of them just north of where Toreku had wanted them to be. Immediately upon coming out of it Xa'kryn had to use the nearby cliff face to hold himself up, and he gingerly let go of the singer to grab his own head. He hoped that Sora didn't notice the moment he felt like throwing up, but was able, just barely to keep himself together.

 

"Why don't you like the Aethyenet?" The singer asked. "...I've noticed it before... that you rather walk everywhere." 

 

"...asides from getting sick nearly every time?" Xa'kryn replied as he straightened up, still not entirely okay. "I've had a couple of really bad experiences... I'll leave it at that." he said, not wanting to bring up his past. "Come on," he said holding out a hand to the singer. "I've still got to sweep the building before they arrive..."

 

Sora reached out and took the paladins hand, and immediately went red in the face as they walked hand in hand for the first time. Luckily for Sora, Xa'kryn didn't really look back at him, only glanced to make sure they weren't followed, and he was able to hide his rosy cheeks. Though his pulse started to quicken with the warmth of Sora's hand in his, he was too focused on trying to walk straight rather then the sweatiness of his palms.

 

Xa'kryn opened the southern door to Busccaron's, still holding onto the singers hand and only let go after he lead him over to the table nearest the fireplace and pulling out a stool out for him with a graceful move of his foot. The Paladin began his sweep and immediately found several of Negega's listening devices stashed around the place. He knew there were more, but without the main one in the room, usually in the journalists ear, he wasn't able to confirm that they had all been destroyed. Sora could tell by the look on Xa'k's face that he wasn't entirely satisfied as his eyes scanned once more around the room. Sora's eyes had been following him as he sweep the room, though Sora's hands were preoccupied. He subconsciously traces his fingers along his palm where his skin had felt the warmth of the paladins hands and his heart still felt as though it would jump from his chest any moment.

 

Xa'kryn was only able to find one more and made an audible "Tsk." sound with his teeth as he heard people approaching from the distance and the Paladin lent up against the western wall by the entrance. There were a lot more then he was expecting, and his brow furrows as Toreku is followed in by a large group of people. There were seven amongst them that were not of the Adder's assigned guard. Six of them were wearing the same colors, and he correctly surmised that they were all of the same Free Company. The seventh was the Journalist he was expecting, who just frowned at him slightly. 

 

"Xa'kky!~" she said, but her tone this time was down heartened as she approached him; she knew he broken her toys already. Her tone immediately changed when she fully saw what he was wearing. "Look at you! He remembered the color of your eyes." She smirked at the irritated look he gave her in return. "His is more ice blue to match his. OH I wish I could get shots of you together!" She was rather gleeful and rather in her element as she thought it over. "And it fits you perfectly." She added as her hands went to the collar of his dress attire to adjust it.

 

He firmly grab her wrists and pulls them to the side. "Going through my mail again?" He asked in a hushed tone, being sure to crush her hands in his until he could see the dust from another of her crystalline devices. "You don't get to go through it just because you transport it."

 

"OH please, I didn't have too. You know I'm friends with Lucia." She retorted frowning slightly while taking her hands from his grasp. "You do know what he meant to say by that, right?" 

 

"Of course I do." He replied. "I'm glad. He deserves the title; and I don't deserve the gift for his achievements."

 

"But you're so dutiful; he knew you would wear it," a smirk played upon her face. "Do you want to be called Lord Commander too?" she fawned. "You look very much the part."

"Enough, Negs. If you want him, you know where he is. He'll be a little more receptive to your flirtation." He retorted getting a little annoyed. 

 

"No, sadly for me, he won't either." she replied with a pout. "Only Einstinien and I are left in the friend-zone, it seems."

 

"Too bad for Einstinien that he was in love with the wrong twin."

 

Toreku got Sora's attention as he waddled over too him and snapping his fingers directly in his face. It was that, and only that that snapped him from his daze and got him up from his seat. The singer had been gazing at the Paladin on the opposite side of the room and inadvertently had been staring at the Miqo'te woman with daggers in his eyes. The more he saw of her, the more he hated, and the way she touched him so casually made his blood boil.

 

He had to force a smile when finally greeting the contest winner. Luckily for him, they were more talking amongst themselves when they arrived, and he hoped no one else had caught him blatantly staring at the elf across the room.

 

"Sora, this is Horrid, and the Knights of San D'Oria" Toreku introduced the singer to the large Highland Hyur man. "It seems they went in on their raffle ticket." he added, and by the apologetic look on his face, something he hadn't considered was a group of people splitting the cost of the raffle. If it wasn't for the fact that this particular Free Company had a great standing with the Adders, Toreku would have been more stickler; and if he had been smarter, it would have put it into the contest rules themselves. 

 

"They bought them together..." Sora said softly after a moment of thought. "I suppose it only fair that they all claim the prize."

 

Horrid, himself, was a monster of a man, and not only in stature. He had long dark blue hair and bangs that sat just below his scruffy boxed jaw which had an uneven growth and poorly trimmed beard and goatee. His skin weathered, and almost looked as if he scales in some spot, due to how dry and cracked it was though somehow greasy at the same time. His two piercing eyes were set slightly too far apart on either side of his round head, and had a red tattoo across them both, as if that would detract from the fact they are so off center. He was dressed in plate armor, where as most of his companions, while armor clad wore lighter gear. He smiled at the singer a little too widely, and seemed hesitant to say anything until he was pushed by an Au'ra comrade who had been standing behind him. "You were all excited on the way down here;" he said to the Highlander with a smirk. "Now's not the time to get speechless."

"I can't believe we actually won." He replied before reaching out a hand to the singer as a bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. "I'm Horrid;" and before Sora could ask, he added "Just Horrid. The Free company name is my family name if you need one." 

 

Sora arched a brow slightly, but took the hand he was offered and returned the firm handshake he was given. "Nice too meet you..." Sora placed his hands behind his back afterwards and subtly wiped off the trace amounts of moisture left on his hand from the contest winners handshake, and it took all he had no to openly cringe.

 

"Thank you, on behalf of the Knights of San D'Oria, for allowing all of us the chance to meet you." The large highlander said with another big smile. 

 

Sora shrugged slightly. "We hadn't implemented a rule preventing people from sharing the cost..." he said softly. "Though, there might be a change for next time..." he wasn't the only one that could see this happening again on a larger scale if they don't snip it in the bud. 

 

As the group of them, including Toreku and Sora walked over to the side that had the group of tables. Xa'kryn could not help but glare at the back of the highlander's head as he watch him attempt to guide Sora to his seat, but instead of guiding him by the small of his back, his hand was far too low. He might just as well have given it a squeeze; by the twitch in his hand Xa'kryn saw, he wanted too, and though he apologize quickly to Sora. Xa'kryn did not believe it to be accidental at all. His Miqo'te friend smirked slightly. "Careful with those daggers now, Xa'kky." She said just above a whisper as she walked away from her friend too join the group for the discussion. 

 

Sora was bombarded with questions for the better part of half an hour. Luckily for him, these questions were quite mundane compared to what he was asked in his previous interview. What his favorite color is, his favorite food, his favorite concert location, his favorite Eorzean holiday, and his favorite book series, were those amongst the questions asked. To his relief, none of them brought up his personal life. As to indulge them, and not have the conversation seem so one sided, Sora in turn asked them a few things. He found out that the Free Company was indeed named after the book series of the same name. Even though they had gone on several missions on behalf of Gridania, the majority of them were from Ul'dah, and helped organize a couple of charities there in the form of clothes and food for the less fortunate. They had taken up Free Company work to help fund their projects, and Horrid informed him that Toreku had agreed already to let them help organize another show; but this time the proceeds were to help set up similar institutions in the other city states They had the makings of a basic light party, with everyone covering the bases, and Horrid, their leader, was not only their tank, but a paladin as well. Overhearing this made Xa'kryn's brow furrow slightly. He found it hard to believe. Horrid seemed way too bubbly, and giddy for a paladin at all. This would be the first paladin he's come across that doesn't seem to remember their emotional conditioning; though Xa'kryn would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that his own was breaking. 

 

During the entire conversation it was blatantly obvious that Horrid was attempting to flirt with the singer, and doing a very bad job at it too. Xa'kryn found himself slightly relieved when Sora ignored every pass made, though it did not negate his immediate intense dislike of this contest winner. He didn't move an inch though, not did he let it show on his face too much, though he found himself clenching his fists, though they were hidden, folded across his chest.

 

Negega ushered everyone get together for a group shot for the paper over by the fireplace, including the manager. She even teased that Xa'kryn ought to join the shot, to which he declined vehemently knowing that she just wanted a picture of him to send back to Ishgard; and he did not want to be found. The Knights of San D'Oria line themselves in the back row, though there is a little bit of banter between them about who should be placed where. One suggested three tiers; to which most agreed. One noted that their Elezen companion was the tallest and aught to be dead center and somewhat evening their heights out on either side of her, while their Au'ra, who look the most intimidating, was actually the shortest and should be in the second row, with the Manager to in the front as everyone could properly be seen in the picture. 

 

Sora jumped slightly as he felt another hand brush up against his buttocks as the leader of the Free Company squeezed in the row behind him, and again he immediately apologized. Xa'k was pretty sure that had he moved from his spot on the wall, everyone would have heard the cracking of his knuckles as he found himself clenching his fist. He, for the first time in a very long time, was filled with an indescribable emotion. Jealousy, anger, blood-lust and heartache all in the same moment. Hearing Sora again take the apology at face value and not moving even a milliliter away made him angry. His rage was only momentarily put on ice by the smirk on the journalists face as she glanced back to him. She knew that look; it was the look of someone itching to start a brawl. 

 

Negega pulled from her bag a rectangular aether crystal of a strange yellow hue that had been plated with thick elegantly cast mythril to protect it. It also had a strange clockwork sound to it as she spun a plated disk. She held it up to her eyes, seemed to focus on the group. "Just a little closer." she said softly. Horrid took the opportunity to move in slightly closer to the singer as the photographer lined up the shot and placed his hand quite firmly on his hip and pressed himself against him just as she asked them all to smile. 

 

Xa'kryn's blood was just about boiling at this point. He saw just how uncomfortable Sora looked as he was touched, but again didn't pull away nearly as quickly as the paladin thought he should. He had to remind himself where he was, and what he was doing; He was working. As much as he wanted too, he couldn't just rush over there and punch the other paladin in his smarmy, uneven face. He was fairly sure he'd be fired if he did. 

Negega took longer then Xa'k hoped with the photos and insisted she had to take more then one for good measure. It took Horrid a few solid seconds after the photographs had finished been taken before he removed his greasy hands from Sora's side. Most of the group had already bid farewell to the singer, and thanked him and his manager for their time. Horrid went in for one last handshake, which Sora hesitated accepting for half a second; He had wished he had because at the end of it the highlander had pulled in him closer, and whispered in cringe-worthy tone "Now you know where to find me, contact me sometime." He then added in a hushed tone, trying to sound seductive, but failing. "I'll help you get over that Miqo'te." before letting go, and joining the rest of his Free Company who were being ushered out of the building by the Adder within the building. 

 

Xa'kryn could not stop himself from glaring openly at the Highlander as he walked by him, who only gave him a cocky smirk in return. "Someone should really get that stick out of your ass." Horrid said to him as he stopped for half a second and placed a hand on his pauldron. "No one likes an uptight bastard." There was something in the way he said that that resonated with Xa'kryn in a very abrasive way. It was like he knew those words in particular would bother him the most; and he was correct. Only two people have ever told him those things; specifically, Scylus, and Negega. Before he could retort anything, the other paladin walked out of the building followed by a couple more Adder's and joined the rest of his group heading north back to Gridania. He threw a look to Negs who just shrugged. She had half wished she had fed him those lines; there was no better way to provoke Xa'kryn who now looked the most frustrated she had ever seen him in private life. She patted him on the arm lightly, though still smiling softly, as she left the building and slowly went to join the group that had left. 

 

Now it was the three of them, and the bartender. Xa'kryn had a hard time looking at Sora without that tight feeling in his chest, and the overwhelming jealousy he felt at watching him be groped by another. He hadn't moved from where he had been all night, lent up against the wall by the door, and still had his arms folded across his chest.

 

Toreku was settling the bill for the rental of the space for the hour with the bartender, and Sora had sat back down at one of the tables. He was still cringing at the words spoken into his ear by that huge, sweaty man, and wiped his hands off the best he could on his jacket. 

"What's this..." he said aloud as he reached for it. It was a copy of the Raven with the first couple of pages folded so the middle of the news print was the first seen. It wasn't so much the parchment itself that caught his eye at first, but a word on it immediately got his focus. Tracey.

His eyes widened in shock, then in anger as he read the page over once more. Only a quarter of what was written were in Sora's own words. When he refused to be forth coming with details it seems she took the liberty to fill it in with her own imagination when pertaining to the singers emotions. Some of the things she had written on her own, however, were spot on, where as other seemed to grasp at straws. It ends with several theories on why Sora was broken up with, and leaves the public guessing. Little did she know that Sora himself was guessing himself when it came to the reason his first love would leave him unceremoniously.

 

His hands started to shake and grip the sides of the paper hard, "Who does this bitch think she is..." he whispered. There were so many conflicting emotions filling his chest he could hardly contain it anymore. "I had just started to forget it.... and she not only asks me about it but she goes out and prints it for all to see?!" He knocked the stool to the floor as he stood from his seat, and threw the paper to the floor; "Gods, damn it!" He uttered angrily. He stormed out of the southern exit, and headed in the opposite direction of camp; feeling the need of a long walk to cool his head.

 

Toreku furrows his brow as he wanders over to the table Sora had just gotten up from and signals for the Paladin to follow him. The Lalafell takes the paper from the ground and starts to read it over. Before Xa'kryn could leave through the same south exit he heard the manager audibly swear under his breath. He crush the paper in his hand and headed through the other exit, north, no doubt to have a word about the paper. Xa'kryn didn't need to look at it; he already had a good idea of what it was about.

 

Xa'kryn followed Sora down the path at a distance. He couldn't get that feeling out of his chest as he stare at the back of the singers head, and more than once did his eyes glance to his backside. He wasn't sure if he was more mad that someone else had touched, him, and he hadn't moved away, or the fact that he knew his hands wanted to do way more then that; had they been alone, would Sora have stopped him? Xa'kryn tried to shake these thoughts from his head as he followed him down the path, but unfortunately for him, it play on his face. 

 

Sora seemed to be in a blind rage and didn't see the large cart incoming behind them down the path. Xa'kryn swiftly caught up with him on the left side and pulled him gently off the path by opposite forearm. Sora found himself pivoting on point and forcefully pulling away from the paladin before he realized what had even happening. He smoked his hand on the wheel of the passing cart with the force he used retracting his arm from the Paladin's grasp. He winced very slightly as he felt the open air touch the scrapes left on his knuckles by the cart. Sora saw a very slight frown on Xa'kryn's face that blended in with the same scowl he had been wearing for the past half an hour.

 

Sora had a hard time looking at the Paladin. When he did, he saw her touching him, and when he thought of her, and the article she wrote it made him want scream. He wish he had more of an aptitude for violence; had he he would have gone the opposite way to punch that stupid Miqo'te in her face after no doubt breaking one of the doors in Busccaron's. He found himself unintentionally glaring at the Paladin. "So, what soured you're mood?" The singer finally found himself asking as he turned on the spot and continued down the path as the carriage got further away. He noticed a change in his mood quite a while ago, before he himself was infuriated by the journalist.

 

Xa'kryn hesitated, unable to really put into words how he felt without sounding like a complete jackass. "I'm a Paladin; my 'mood' should not matter." he replied trying to repress his frustrations. His feelings aren't appropriate for someone in his position, and its hardly professional to take such a vested interest in a client. 

 

"And here you are, nearly as 'moody' as I am." The singer retorted more angrily then he had meant. "Would you just drop the Paladin act and act like an actual person for more then just a minute?" 

 

"What would you have me say?" Xa'kryn replied a little sharper then he meant. 

 

"Anything!" Sora finally turned back to the paladin.

 

"If I were to speak my mind, you will not like what you will hear." He replied honestly

 

"So you're going to start walking on eggshells around me too?!" The singer snapped fairly loudly, and it echoed off of the trees and down the path. 

 

Xa'kryn furrows his brow at the singers words. He firmly grabs the singer by the wrist and pulls him off the path into a small ravine hidden by a very large fallen tree. He forces the singers back up against the bark, and grabs him by the other wrist as well and pins him underneath his weight. The paladin finds himself pressing himself up against him much closer then the other paladin ever had. He got right close to his face as he spoke in a firm voice. "Would you let just anyone touch you like that?"

 

"You think I liked that?!" Sora retorted angrily, struggling for a second in the Paladin's grasp. 

 

"I didn't see you move away." The paladin replied as he lent in close to the singers face. Sora could smell the galago mint on his breath he was so close.

 

"Had I made the wrong move it would be blown up in the Raven that I'm unapproachable." 

 

"And had I broken his hand like I wanted, I would end up back in Ul'dah." He replied. "None of those were accidental, Sora."

 

"You think I don't know that?" Sora retorted now going somewhat red in the face, both from the closeness and his anger. "If I said or done anything it would have backfired onto Toreku, we cant have these contests fail. Once is bad enough."

 

"Stop and think of yourself for half a second. You shouldn't have to bare being openly molested for your managers sake." He replied. "And if you think she won't use you're meekness against you equally, you are mistaken."

 

"How dare you..." He snapped attempting to push the paladin away, who was not budging nor faltering on the grip on his wrists, but also not so forceful as to be hurting him. "You act like thinking of others is a bad thing. I am not someone who is so selfish that I can't muster up some sort of strength to just grin and bare it. I have had years worth of being selfish when I was sick, I don't want people to be scared to come near me, and avoid me like my own family and friends did!"

 

"Being taken care of by the people who love you because you are sick is not being selfish." He replied firmly. "Thinking of others is fine; it's when you put everyone, even people you despise above yourself when it becomes more then just selflessness. No one will be frightened of you for asserting yourself." He assured him before adding, "You could at the very least have swatted him away; You seem to have no trouble, now, resisting being touched against your will."

 

"I didn't see you coming to my aide either, ya know." the singer retorted going very pink in the face.

 

"Had I gone over there it probably would have made trouble for your career then you handling a pervert on your own." 

 

"How would that be worse?! It's your job to protect me and if you thought I was in any kind of trouble you SHOULD have stepped in," Sora snapped angrily now visibly having trouble drawing breath but too upset to stop, "but you were too busy getting felt up by that bitch to give a damn."

 

"Sora, she was not flirting with me because she likes me, or I like her. She knows that I prefer men, and absolutely despise it; She does it not to get a rise out of me, but to get a rise out of you." Xa'kryn replied honestly. "She has known about my feelings for you from the moment she won that contest."

"Then why hasn't she run anything about it yet?" the singer huffed somewhat sarcastically in his anger. 

"She could have run a tabloid "hired guard in love with singer" but that's is nearly every guard in all of Eorzea. No. She's been provoking you every chance she has gotten to see if you carry the same torch as me." He replied before continuing, "Did you want me to start a brawl? Because that's what it would have become; I'd've punched him so hard it would have evened out his face." He replied honestly as he gaze into the singers eyes. "and I know that's exactly what 'that bitch' would have loved to write about." He added, inching closer. "Standing up for your own boundaries will not have damage you career. Her writing that you'll let any fan grope you will."

 

"So, I was screwed no matter what then." he scoffed, now wheezing rather hard. "Maybe I'm wrong. I was WRONG about Tracey, I was WRONG about that reporter that you seem to defend so much, hell maybe I am wrong about Toreku and it was part of the deal for that asshole to touch me." voice going into a soft whisper; "I guess my feelings are always wrong..." glares at Xa'k, "Now let me go!" he retorted breathless and angrily as he to push him away

 

"No." Xa'kryn stated simply, to which he was only returned an azure glare. 

 

"Why not?" he wheezed, now feeling the tight pain gripping his lungs "You're just the help." 

 

"Am I?" Xa'kryn retorted, now pinning the singer against the tree with his full body. He frowned slightly at the singer, "I'm not going to let you run off on me in a state like this..." Xa'kryn said sliding his hand from one of Sora's wrists, that he had pinned by his head, to his chest. "Do you really think Toreku would turn into your pimp for a premium?" The paladin asked as he caressed the singer's skin, and where his finger tips touch faintly turned a warm blue hue. "And if he did, do you think he'd let all of Eorzea know about it?" He added as he lent in so close that their hair touch.

 

"It doesn't matter what I think... I'm just wrong..." 

 

"That's all you get out of all of this?" He replied. "Things don't go your way and you throw in the towel and find it easier to blame yourself then others. It's human to be wrong sometimes. If you're going to blame someone, there are several parties you can blame; Toreku for creating the contest to begin with, and not screening the contestants... You want to blame me for not stepping in the second he touched your ass the first time? Was that what you truly wanted?"

 

"...Yes." Sora breathed in reply as he averted his gaze and looks off to the ground, though it was exceptionally difficult as they were so close.

 

Xa'kryn lightly brushes his fingers up Sora's neck to his jaw and caresses it softly as he forces the singer to look back into his eyes. This time Sora could clearly see the light from the Paladin's magic flowing through his fingertips and warm up his own already flushed face. Xa'kryn lent in and closed off what little distance he had left between them. He locked lips with the singer, still gently holding him by the jawline. His thumbs caress his cheeks and the light from his hand lightly faded. 

It took a moment for Sora to register that the light had not gone. It had only moved it's point of transference from the Paladin's fingertips, to his lips. He was suddenly hit with the the paladin's weight as he was pressed harder up against the tree, and felt his tongue for the first time slip between his lips. Sora immediately felt weak in the knees, and found his eyes fluttering shut on their own, heart aching as it pound hard in his chest. He found himself gripping onto the Paladin's chest with his one free hand. He had been kissed deeply before, but never like this. Instead of finding it hard to breath with someone pressed against him, he found it easier the deeper the kiss got. The hand that hand been gripping his pinned arm slipped into his, and Sora found himself interlocking his fingers with his. He could feel that the paladin's heart was racing just as fast as his was through the webs of his fingers. Sora found himself momentarily relaxing under the paladin's weight and fully giving into the kiss, and returning it just as passionately as it was given. The paladin's thigh slip between his legs as he lent in closer, and Sora's face flushed as he realize that there was no way to hide his body's reaction to this.

 

He pulled his face away only as far as to let their noses briskly touch after very slowly breaking the kiss, and the spell he had been casting to ease Sora's breathing. "I had wanted too..." Xa'kryn said in a hushed, seductive undertone, the hand against his jaw caressing Sora's cheek with his fingers. 

 

"Then why didn't you..."

 

"I could have rushed over there, broken his hand before he had finished, and had his free company come after me. The Adder's would have intervened. I would have been taken into custody, and probably wouldn't have seen you again." He replied honestly. "This is an assignment I got as a favor not only for your manager, but for myself as well. They wanted me grounded; under house arrest, unable to leave Ul'dah, much less Thanalan. I'm not allowed to participate in the investigation because some think me an accomplice. I just so happen to attack another paladin, like Scylus did, and have it not only during an interview for the raven, but one I cannot guarantee wasn't recorded would look bad on everyone." he added, "'Loose canon Paladin in love with singer breaks contest winners hand' might have been a juicy title; but I know it would follow with the rumors that I'm just as volatile, and not to be trusted to guard you. ...and judging by how I've been acting, It might be true anyway..."

 

The singer finds himself leaning into the Paladin's caress. "I guess we were both screwed then..." He sighed softly before reaching up with his free hand and pulling Xa'kryn back into a kiss gently by the chin.

~~


	4. Chapter 4

~~

Over the next couple of weeks, Xa'kryn and Sora started getting closer when they weren't in public. Xa'kryn heeded Sora's request for him to stop repressing his emotions as much, and say what is on his mind. Though Sora, for the first time in a very long while seems very happy, Toreku, however, wasn't. That was mostly due to the fact that he was largely ignored by the singer when it was just the three of them and he found their flirting more of a nuisance. Sora mentioned that he prefer the Ishgardian armor on him once in passing, and Xa'kryn took heed in his request. Ishgardian armor was also much easier to get into alone, and fit to his form better then the plate; but his brother did have it made especially for him. In their private time, Sora took to following Xa'k to do his daily errands, which included stopping by the stables just outside of Gridania and checking on his Chocobo. 

 

One morning they arrived to an extra agitated Eva who had made a fuss during the night and wouldn't let any of the stable hands enter past the fourth set of stalls, barring them from accessing her. She seemed to calm slightly at the sight of Xa'kryn and would only allow he and Sora to approach. He hushed her as he reached for her beak. "What's wrong, Doll." he asked her as he stroked the black feathers on the side of her neck. She kweh softly, and it was then he noticed what it was that had gotten her so defensive all of a sudden. "..." He had to be honest, he wasn't entirely happy at the sight of an egg in the pen behind her, but could not get mad at her for something that was not entirely her fault. "Well, I guess you'll have to stay behind a while when we leave..." He sighed softly. He turned to the stable hands. "Do you have any women who work here?" He asked, which got him a funny look. "...She's an Ishgardian bird, and she's just laid; she's not going to let any men she doesn't know anywhere near her for a while..." He glances to Sora. It seems Eva has made an exception for him, but no doubt even the bird has senses the feelings between them. "I'm going to have to write to Ul'dah and get Momodi to handle a few things for me; mainly my refund. I paid for her to be stabled alone, and clearly she was stabled with males who were un-penned..." 

"...Why were you asking about female employees?"

 

"She is more likely to let a woman tend to her when she has a chick, and Eva has been abused by men before." He sighed. "They couldn't even get in to feed her, and it's got another week before it hatches."

 

"If you want, I can see if Luscia doesn't mind taking care of them. She used to help tend to the birds when we were kids at the Free Company house and I am sure this will give her something to keep her mind occupied."

 

"Why would she need to keep occupied?" Xa'kryn inquired with a concerned look upon his face. 

 

"Her mother is sick and isn't doing very well, but also her boyfriend is away for training. Taking care of her mother isn't enough too keep her from worrying about him equally..." 

 

"This will be more of a job, then a distraction." he replied. "She will want to nest for the next month or two, but when the chick is old enough, black Chocobo's teach their chicks to run before they can walk... and if we were home she'd teach him to fly..." by home, he strictly meant where both he, and the bird grew up. "The little one is going to have a lot of energy... are you sure she'll be able to handle it?"

 

"You're worrying too much." he chuckled; "She's more than capable of handling this."

 

Xa'kryn sighed and agreed. He was probably just worrying too much. Xa'kryn escorted Sora, alone, south through Galvanth's spire to the docks at Mirror planks and made their way to the lavender beds. Xa'kryn was very gentlemanly and held a hand out to Sora as he got in and out of the boat, and it took all that was in him to not kiss his hand as he did so. Luckily for them the residential areas were sparsely populated and they were able to get away with holding hands for part of the walk. 

 

When they arrived Sora knocked on the door loudly, but did not wait for an answer before opening the front door and announcing himself. He was greeted back by his friends mother as the two of them entered and Xa'kryn began his quick sweep of the house. It was a small place so it did not take long. While Xa'kryn swept the master bedroom is when Sora's friend left her own room and walked into the living room to greet her friend who stood in the hall watching the Paladin work. 

 

As Xa'kryn returned from his sweep of the final bedroom and walked down the hall Sora asked, "Satisfied?" 

"Unless you're friend takes to hiding men under her bed, I think we're clear." Xa'kryn quipped with a smirk. He placed a hand to Sora's shoulder gently for a moment. "I'll be outside should you need me." He said before exiting the building and guarding the entrance. 

To Xa'kryn's relief, Sora's friend Luscia agreed to take care of his Chocobo and her chick until both were able to travel and be re-stabled. He still not know however, what to do with a baby. He was sure he wouldn't be on any missions for a while, but it would be difficult to train the hatch-ling as a military bird with the mother there, as the trainer would always be ignored in favor of the mothers advice. 

The streets were a little busier then when they had arrived to the Lavender Beds which automatically put a damper on his ability to relax. He guided Sora the quickest route too the docks and took a ferry across to the other side. This time, as they got further away from shore and into the middle of the lake, Sora sidled in closer and lent against his shoulder. They slipped their hands together behind their backs, out of view of the skipper, who they saw fought off a smile and pretended to look over their shoulders to the docks ahead. They were getting a little careless trying to hide whatever it was between them. They release their hands only momentarily as the boat drifted closer to the dock, and Xa'kryn once again held a hand out for the singer to help stabilize him as they disembarked. He did not, however, let go once they reached the end of the pier. They take their time returning to camp, and took a detour through the Bramble Patch for some added privacy and only passed a couple of Botanists searching through bushels rather then the dozens of travelers at this time of day. Both of their hearts were pounding hard in their chest the deeper into the forest Xa'kryn brought him. Sora was a little confused as to where Xa'kryn was leading him until he saw a beautiful chapel in the distance. With the noon sun shining down upon it, it was a picturesque vision of all that is holy. They were finally entirely alone for the first time in a couple of days. Xa'kryn couldn't stand it any longer and tugged the singer closer too him as he saw his gaze wander to the carved stone doors. He caress his back as he pulls him into a deep kiss, and use their entwined hand as means to pull his body closer to his as he raise it above his shoulder; one of the few ballroom dance moves he could use to his own advantage.  
Sora's heart ached as he returned the kiss, and found himself pressing even closer too him. He gripped at the fabric of his uniform for the leverage he needed to deepen the kiss, and gave Xa'kryn's embrace to tighten. 

 

They lost themselves in each others touch for longer then either had meant, and what Xa'kryn meant as only a moments detour turned into the better part of half an hour. They walked slowly back to camp to calm their hearts. There were no words between them from the time the arrived at the chapel. He had meant to do some talking then but he had been over taken by the urge to kiss him instead. He was just thinking about stopping their walk and talking about what he had originally meant when they were greeted by the glare of the Lalafell manager at he top of the path. He did not look impressed at all at their tardiness, nor their open closeness. Xa'kryn notice Toreku's eyes dart to their hands then back to him with a bit of a glare. He seemed to wait until they release their grip on each other before addressing the singer about the reason as to why they were so late in returning. Sora was quick on his feet and simply stated that things took a little longer then they had hoped as he was sure to be thorough when going over with Luscia how to take care of the two Chocobo's when they leave. It wasn't too much of a stretch in the truth. Toreku didn't need to know about their pit stop at the Sanctum of the Twelve. Toreku furrowed his brow and glanced up to the tall Elezen before going back to the singer and going over the things that they were now behind in planning for their arrival in Limsa Lominsa and leading the pair back to camp. 

 

~~~~

 

Xa'kryn was nervous about leaving his Chocobo behind, but to his surprise he heard that she allowed Luscia near her immediately when he went to say his farewell's to Eva. Chocobo were usually quite good judge of characters, and Sora's reassurance helped Xa'kryn to relax. They were accompanied by the Adder's through Gridania too Carline Canopy and down the Airship landing. The troupe had spend the better part of the day packing the ship for the long haul, and loaded the birds last. It was far faster to take an Airship to Limsa then spend the next couple of weeks traveling back through Thanalan. They would be stuck on the ship for a couple of days though. The ship they had hired was slightly larger then the normal ferry transport, to accommodate for the large amounts of equipment they were transporting, and staff. It was more like a luxury liner, and had it's own bar, and restaurant aboard and was elegantly decorated when you got to the upper levels. Xa'kryn got private quarters in the middle of the ship right next to Sora's quarters, and just across the hall from Toreku's. He was kind of surprised he was moved quite so close, but Xa'kryn was the one guard Sora trusted the most.

 

After moving what few things he had packed into his room, he headed to Sora's room to see if he needed any help. Sora's room was large, and spanned the length of he and Toreku's adjacent rooms and included a large bathroom within on the right hand side. It was one of the more beautiful rooms in the ship and was elegantly decorated with fineries down to the sheeting on the large mahogany bed. Next to the bed, it had a large bay window that allowed the room with a deep crimson from the setting sun. There were only a few bags Sora wanted from below deck, which Xa'kryn helped him move with ease. The ship had started to move as he and the singer returned to the room and Xa'kryn put the bags on the floor at the edge of the bed. When he had turned, Sora had shut the door behind them. 

 

The singer glides across the room and wraps his arms around the Elezen's shoulders as soon as he was sure the door was firmly closed behind them. Before Xa'kryn could finish wrapping his arms around his waist he was pulled into a deep kiss and pushing him down with Sora's weight against the heavily pillowed window seat that was just behind him. The singer was on his toes to make the kiss easier as they fell against the mountain of pillows. Xa'kryn's fingertips caressed between Sora's shoulder blades as he pulled him closer too him. He deepened the kiss and both of their eyes fluttered shut. This time is was Sora who was the one to slip his tongue into Xa'kryn's mouth first, and Xa'kryn returned it equally as fervidly as it was given. Sora's face went a shade of pink as he was turned on by just the feeling of the Paladin's fingertips grazing his buttocks, then a couple shades darker when his hands press their hips together and he gently grip his ass. In this position, with Sora lent on top of him, between his legs with one leg wrapped around the paladins thigh, the armor under-plate shifted just enough they both could clearly feel what this kiss was doing for one another. They get lost in each others tastes and caresses. Neither wanting to give, and break this kiss. It feel like the world dissolve around them and it was just the two of them. They could feel that their hearts were beating equally as fast through each others tongue and through what little fabric separated their nethers. 

 

Xa'kryn had to really force himself to break the kiss. He moved his hand that was caressing Sora's back too his face, and gently brushes his hair from his eyes as he separated his lips from his but kept their faces still close enough to still touch noses. "Sora..." He breathed; finally getting the courage to bring up what he meant too the other day. "I've been meaning to ask..." he asked as he gripped firmly onto Sora's hips, "exactly what am I too you?"

 

Sora wasn't expecting Xa'kryn to ask such a question, let alone with him right on top of him. He bit at his own lip softly before speaking, "You are the one I want near me, to hold me..." He breathed, catching his own breath. He moved his hand up, caressing the side of the Paladin's face; "I am not sure why, but I cannot simply put into words exactly what you mean to me... I haven't felt anything like this, not in a very long time anyways." He paused momentarily, his thumb lightly moving on the Elezen's cheek; "And what of me?" He finally asked in a soft tone as he allowed his thumb to gently graze the Paladin's lower lip.

 

"Words do seem insufficient, don't they..." he replied as he brushed Sora's bangs from his eyes. "I've never felt this strongly about anyone before." he added honestly as he gaze into those azure eyes. 

"Never?" Sora asked softly with a bit of a frown as he inched his face closer, brushing noses slightly. 

 

"I've only ever had one relationship... and I was a teenager at the time. My feelings for him were more... lust driven then anything else." He found saying this hard, especially as he was as well; he could feel with the weight against him that Sora wasn't impervious to this issue either. "This feels nothing like then; this is something more..." he gently caresses Sora's cheek, "though this closeness is nice, it was not my goal when getting to know you... I've been drawn too you since the moment we met..."

 

He blushed hearing those words. Apart of him wished he could have said the same thing, but in truth for him, the moment of yearning was months later; "It may not have been when we first met, but that moment when you first kissed me, with nothing but a desire to stop my hurting... I knew I wanted to get to know you better."

 

"I still want to know you better." Xa'kryn replied simply. "but more over, I want to be the only one who gets too..."

 

"What are you trying to say....?" Sora asked, finding his heart pounding hard in his chest as he rest his head against he Elezen's. 

 

"...I guess the best way to phrase my desire," He breathed onto the others lips as he caressed his cheek "is simply 'Be mine'."

 

Sora smiled genuinely and purely for the first time in a very long while. "I'm all yours..." he replied. 

 

As the two lent in, mouths gaping, lips briskly touching as they were about to start kissing once more is when the door was suddenly thrown open. 

 

"You!" The Lalafell manager was glaring over the singers head to the paladin and got a little more red in the face as he noticed that not only was Sora reclined against him and openly in his arms, and lap, and their faces inches apart, obviously about to kiss, but also the Paladin's hand, it seemed to him, was unabashedly gripping onto the singers posterior. He was fuming as he gripped onto what Xa'kryn immediately recognized as a copy of the Raven. "I should have guessed! I'd expect something like this from Scylus, why did I not expect it from his apprentice."

 

"Excuse me?" Xa'kryn said sliding his hand from where it was on Sora's ass and adjusted how the two were sitting on the window seat slightly as he sat up and stare at the Lalafell. Luckily for both of them he had interrupted them at a time where their bodies had both calmed down enough to not obviously show just how into each other they had been. "What's that supposed to mean?"

 

"He's late for our meeting, again, and I find you've, again, taken up not only his time, but his lips as well!" Toreku retorted. "I saw you at the Sanctum of the Twelve," He said with folded arms. "groping him like some sort of teenager on the horn." 

 

Sora flush slightly, in embarrassment and anger. "It's not entirely all on Xa'k, Toreku." he interjected as he turned his torso to face his manager. "I didn't stop him; in fact, I've been the one to instigate it... and it was I who didn't tell you the whole truth as to why we were late..."

 

"There were more than just these two incidents, weren't there?" The Lalafell manager added throwing the news print he had in his hand towards the couple. "I'm not the only one to notice your little escapades either." he continued as the singer opened the paper they were tossed to the article that had supposed to be written about the contest winner, the free company and Sora's Charity work. Instead that was squeezed into a very small block of text. 

 

Xa'kryn went a slight shade of pink while Sora's cheeks flush even further when they see the headline. "Paladin of the Immortal Flame ignites a spark for the Light of Eorzea." accompanied by a photograph of the two of them locking lips and hands while the guard had himself pressed up against the singer. They immediately recognized the location as just south of Busccaron's Druthers and the night to be that of their fight. Negega did not follow the Knights of San D'Oria north, but snuck south. Xa'kryn should have known better, and could see why this would upset the Lalafell so. He did know the journalist well enough he should have anticipated this; though he did try to warn Toreku about her beforehand. In the heat of the moment he had lost his wits about him and momentarily forgot that Negega is very light on her feet and that a compromising photograph would be very easy for her to obtain. Xa'kryn was kind of upset to see himself in that uniform, in print. The article itself went on to declare the couple as 'very serious', and heavily implied that they have been a going thing for weeks and very much an official thing. It was followed by another shot of them in the distance holding hands as they walk through the forest. 

 

"You're here to guard him, not grope him." The Lalafell added angrily. 

 

"Oh, so you'll stand by and let random fans grope Sora against his will, but object to something he openly admits to wanting?"

 

Toreku scoffed. "Horrid did apologize. He was simply nervous." 

 

"Nervousness as an excuse? A Paladin?" He arched his brow; it took some deep emotions to break even the most basic of paladin repression techniques. "Even had he forgotten how to repress his emotions, that excuse is only valid for the first offense if you take it at face value."

 

"You're one to talk about repressing emotions." Toreku retorted with a glare up to the Paladin. 

 

"Toreku, Stop. I asked him not too when he's around me." Sora interjected as he lock fingers with the Elezen. 

 

"It takes some strong emotions to break a paladin's facade unwillingly..." Xa'kryn added. He knew from first hand experience, and that moment was in that article. 

 

"Just admit it, the only reason you're upset is because it supersedes the article about the charity." Sora added finally feeling able to turn properly and stand in front of his manager, still holding onto Xa'kryn's hand. "...You think after what she wrote last time that this wouldn't shock you. Of course people are going to be more interested in my personal life than anything else I add to my charity work

"So you don't deny that what she's written is truth then?" His manager retorted. 

 

"...She jumped the gun a little bit, sure..." Sora blushed, "but it's true now..." he glance back to Xa'kryn who had sat up properly now that there was no weight against him. "... Let's just get this planning over with..." He sighed as he reluctantly let go of Xa'kryn's hand and let it slowly slide from his grasp with a slight frown and letting his manager lead the way upstairs to where he had set up his office for the next week.

 

Xa'kryn returned to his own room and recline on his own bed while Sora was in his meeting. He stripped off some of the outer plating of his dress armor and loosened the cloth as he got comfortable. He didn't expect he'd be needed until the morning, as twilight was nearly falling and the ship was already at sea. He ended up falling asleep at one point and awoke to soft warm hands against his face. Sora had climbed into his bed while he slept and was now straddling his lap. He could see Sora's face was already flushed, and flushed a deeper crimson as a hand slid down Xa'kryn's cheek to his exposed collar and over his chiseled pecks. Xa'kryn reached his hand up to the side of the singers face and with a smirk drew him into a deep kiss. In his moment of sleepiness, he had nearly forgotten what they had spoken about. His heart start to pound hard as he remembered that he and Sora had officially decided to declare themselves together, and that this beautiful man was now his. They deepened the kiss with their tongues as Sora lent up against him. With a smirk Xa'kryn roll him to his side so they were laying front to front. Xa'kryn gently caressed the side of his face with the hand under Sora's head. He gripped Sora's ass as he pulled their hips closer with a tug on the one leg still wrapped around his own hip and Sora found his hands roaming the Elezen's chiseled core. Both of them were incredibly turned on by just simple touching and could not get enough of each other. They spend the next few minutes of twilight lost in each others senses, and entrenched in each others tastes. It was broken only by the grumbling the Lalafell manager as he came down the hall and saw Sora's door still ajar with no one inside, and correctly surmised that he had snuck into the Paladin's room. Reluctantly, Sora breaks the kiss and slides his hands from Xa'kryn's chest and gets up from the bed. They both blushing deeply as they glanced to one another's stiffened nethers. Sora with a smirk walks to the door as Xa'kryn rolls to his back and watches him. Sora uses his jacket to cover his arousal during the short walk from Xa'k's bedroom to his own; Xa'kryn momentarily got a glare from Toreku as the door opened and quickly closed again as Sora stepped out. Xa'kryn hadn't made an effort to move from where he was as he watch Sora leave, and it was very obvious that he had a tent in his pants and most of his midriff was exposed by Sora's wandering hands.

 

Xa'kryn found himself rubbing at his own lips, as he remembered the sensation of Sora's against them. He was lost in thought for a few minutes, rethinking all that had happened between them in the past few hours. He was still quite hot and bothered and unable to ignore it. It has a while since he was able to be alone enough to properly relieve himself. He's had to share quarters with other guards for most of his time in Eorzea. It had been years since he was touched like that, and he could still clearly imagine sensation of the singers hands against his body. It did not take much force to loosen his pants around his waist and shift the fabric lower; releasing his engorged member from its painful prison of cloth. His mind goes to Sora and very indecent things as he rolls onto his side towards the wall. He wraps his own hand around the girth of his member is when he notices a pinprick of moonlight through a very small knot in the wall. 

His eyes widen as he sees very clearly into the next room. He found himself unable to turn away. He was able to watch Sora strip off his tight undershirt and caught his first unobstructed glimpse of his torso; he was slimmed and toned, but not overly so; not like Xa'kryn who has gone through years of daily strength exercises. He could see clearly the bulge in the singers tight shorts and found comfort in the knowledge that he wasn't the only one inconsolably aroused. His already engorged member throbbed even harder as he watched Sora recline on the bed and slip his own hands down his shorts for a moment before bringing them down below his ass. It was then Xa'kryn got confirmation that the carpet did, indeed, match the drapes. He had placed a couple of fingers inside his mouth and was rolling his tongue around them for a moment or two, as the hand now at his side gently glides up his own side. He reached his moistened hand down to the tip of his cock as the other caresses his own peck. He played with only the tip and his face seemed to flush. He seemed to be teasing himself. Xa'kryn found himself stroking himself to the pace Sora had created for himself when the singer finally did wrap is hand around his cock. He looked like he was enjoying himself and arched into his own hand as his pace slightly quickened as his cock seeped with precum which aided the friction.

 

Xa'kryn was more turned on then he had ever been. He was going to masturbate to him anyway, but what he was seeing was better then anything he could imagine and far hotter. Xa'kryn had to slow a couple of times down to stave off finishing too quickly but hit his absolute limit when he heard Sora choke out his name in the throes of his own climax and watch his hot seed spill onto his stomach. He too, had said Sora's name, but much quieter as he spill into his own hand and onto the sheet. 

 

They both took a moment laying in their own beds, and own filth respectively. Xa'kryn was overcome with a pang of guilt as he realized what he had just done; it was one thing to pleasure himself to the thought of Sora touching himself, it was another entirely to actually watch. Xa'kryn sighed softly too himself trying to not let the guilt take hold. He winced slightly as he very gently cleaned his nethers with the help of the sheet and adjusted himself back into his pants. It had been a while since he had masturbated and was far more sensitive then he'd like to admit. His gaze didn't waver as he watch the singer through the small knot in the wall slowly sit up from his spot after a moment of basking in the aftermath. Xa'kryn's member twinging once more as Sora licked at his own finger and tasted his own seed. He then watches Sora strip off his shorts as he stood, giving the paladin an unobstructed view of his beautifully toned thighs and shapely ass. The moonlight that filled the room seemed to only accentuated just how fit the singer really was. He watched Sora walk to the door of his on suite bathroom before the wall blocked his view. Xa'kryn found himself waiting for Sora to return from the next room, and unable to stop himself from peering through the knot. When he finally did return, the only towel he had he was using to pull the water from his azure locks of hair. He spend a moment drying himself after he was confident his hair was dried before abandoning the towel to a chair and climbing into bed in nothing but his name-day suit.


	5. Chapter 5

~~~

 

Xa'kryn awoke the next morning to the high noon sun's beams filtering onto the pillows of his bed and into his eyes. It had been far too long since he was able to sleep in. He furrowed his brow as he sat up and noticed a key on the bedside table; He relocated it somewhere safe for a moment, after realizing that it was the key to Sora's room. He felt that same pang of guilt again when he remembered the previous night and spending an extra hour watching Sora through his pinhole after the singer had already fallen asleep. He got up from his bed and left room. He quickly walked to the bathing room that was down the hall in the opposite direction of Sora's room. He felt extremely dirty from the night before, even if it was his own doing. He got a slight glare from the Lalafell as he passed him as he still had most of his midriff exposed, and looked very unkempt; he only surmised that Toreku was getting a little ahead of himself. He got dressed and fixed his short dark hair after his long, cold shower before returning too his room for the key.

 

As he returns too the hall and makes his way to the room next door he was stopped by Toreku, who noticed the key in his hand. "I've already checked on him. Let him be." Toreku said as he looked up too the Elezen and folded his arms across his chest. Xa'kryn felt a twinge of jealousy and anger upon hearing this as he realize that the sheets on Sora's bed are very thin, and he knew for a fact that he slept in the buff last night. "This is the first good night's rest he's had in weeks, and I'll not have you ruin it because you can't control your urges."

 

Xa'kryn furrowed his brow as he somewhat return the glare he was given. "You do recall him telling you that it has been he to instigate it, don't you?" to which he only heard the manager make an angry tutting sound. 

 

"But you don't have to lead him on." Toreku retorted with the same unchanging upset expression. 

"Who's leading whom?" he asked staring down at him. He said it not because he truly believe Sora was, but because he knew that Toreku would feel insulted on Sora's behalf and be forced to feel how he felt in that moment. "Is that really what it looks like too you?" He asked as he placed his hands to his hips. 

 

"What it looks like to me is that someone loses his only friend, and is dejected from his guild and suddenly finds himself very much alone again coincidentally happens sidle himself into the gap that asshole left." He had to refrain from yelling, though he was damn close too it "Scy told me about your infatuation years ago. I didn't think you'd ever act upon it, especially not the second you had the chance. A crush is one thing, but I will not have you breaking his heart."

 

"Call it what you will. This isn't some fleeting fancy, Toreku, at least not for me." Xa'kryn replied simply as he stare unwavering into the Lalafell's eyes. "and if anyone's going to do the heart breaking, it'll be him..."

 

""Why do you say that?" Toreku asked still giving his disapproving look but now somewhat frowning. "How could you think that if you feel so strongly for him?"

 

"My thoughts and feelings on the matter are not mutually exclusive. It really depends on how Sora feels about 'that asshole' the next time he sees him..." He replied trying hard not to dwell on that thought, "I'm just reiterating that I don't intend to hurt him. I am not Scylus; this between Sora and I isn't a game to me." he added moving towards the door with the key. 

 

Hesitantly Toreku added, "He sleeps in the nude, you know." as he glanced up too the Elezen. 

 

"I'm aware." Xa'kryn said fighting off going slightly pink as he returned the glare he was given and unlocking the door. He slipped himself inside and locked it behind him. He had to take a moment to compose himself as he gaze upon the singer asleep upon his bed. The sheet was draped loosely, just barely on his hip and much lower then Xa'kryn had mentally prepared himself for. "Menphina have mercy, " he muttered softly under his breath as he felt the full warmth of his own cheek hit him fully and that slight pink he had gone a couple of shades darker. He glanced to the adjoining wall between their rooms for a second as he stride to Sora's bed only to find no obvious markings or knots on this side. He returned his gaze to the sleeping singer as he approached the bed who hadn't even made the slightest of movement since he enter. Xa'kryn try not to let his eyes wander too far down Sora's torso, though the way the sheets were draped it just barely covered the singers nethers which was afflicted with a minor case of morning wood; and he try even harder to not let his mind wander too the previous night, and hearing the singer choke out his name. He took a seat on the bed beside him about the midway point of the bed by the singers side. Xa'kryn reached out with his right hand and caressed Sora's soft cheeks with his thumb, which finally caused the singer to stir. 

 

Sora's brow furrows under the touch and his senses awaken from his deep sleep. As his eyes flutter open, and his eyes are slowly able to focus, he starts to flush slightly as he gaze upon the Paladin who came to wake him. Xa'kryn smiles, and found himself leaning in and placing a soft kiss upon Sora's lips, still caressing his cheek softly. He didn't let himself get too lost this time. His discussion with Toreku still in his mind; he did not want to seem like he was merely in this for more than just physical reasons. "How was your sleep?", he asked softly as he broke the kiss with a soft smile. 

"Fantastic," he replied sleepily. "How about yours?" 

Xa'kryn smirked slightly as the word 'fantastic' escaped the singers lips. "Mine was as well." he replied as he lent in once more and kisses him once more very softly, caressing his cheek while using his other hand to hold up his weight. It took all it he had in him to not make it deeper and instead pull away. "... I did want to talk though, before we go out there today." he said still painfully close. 

"...What about?" Sora asked softly, blushing still but now feeling a bit apprehensive.

"Being more mindful of your manager..." He replied, "Toreku has the impression that this is just lust between us, and while that is there too, it is not my only desire with you. Photographic evidence of such a passionate moment between us only helped to give him it. While I do want the world to know how deeply I feel for you, I still need to maintain some level of professionalism in the public eye else Eorzea say the same as Toreku last night; that I do more groping then guarding. He's been upset with me for a while, and I haven't really pay him mind because for the first time in a long while, I'm actually happy." 

"... I'm sorry for getting carried away..." Sora replied softly with a slight frown forming upon his lips. 

"You aren't the only one." Xa'kryn smirked as he brushed noses gently with the singer, "We'll just have to remind ourselves to keep the heavier stuff behind closed doors." he added, "I'm sure he won't complain too much about a little public hand holding and some more tasteful displays of affection." before he gave him one more soft kiss and pulled away smiling. 

There was a moment of pause, it was then, gazing upon the smile of the Elezen above him that Sora suddenly remembers the dirty things had been imagining about him last night before he went to bed and went slightly pink. It did take a moment after that before he realizes that he is still entirely in the buff and the rouge too his face gets a couple of shades darker. "I am now very aware that I am naked..." Xa'kryn couldn't help but smirk. He had thought Sora had already realized that fact. "...Mind turning away, while I get dressed...?" the singer blushed as he pulled the sheet a little higher then it originally had been sitting, just barely covering him.

"As you wish." was all the paladin replied as he did what was asked of him, and averted his eyes. 

 

He escorted Sora to breakfast, and did catch another slight glare from Toreku as he saw they were holding hands when they entered the dining hall. Xa'kryn was very gentlemanly and pulled Sora's chair out for him as they approached the table. There was quite an elaborate breakfast lain out for them, and it seems that the ships Chef covered all his bases, as there seemed to be a little bit of everything on each plate. Toreku was very intent on going over the details of the set list for the shows in La Noscea, and going over each of the stops once over. Toreku also mentioned that he plans to have Sora meet with an Ul'dan fashion designer in Limsa, and that he needs him to agree on a design for a new outfit for Sora to wear on stage, so it's ready by the time they arrive back in Thanalan. While they talked, Xa'kryn took note of the food Sora seemed to push aside, and what he seemed to favor. Xa'kryn was used to field rations and wasn't nearly as picky. 

When Xa'kryn was finished breakfast he excused himself from the table while Toreku was still talking. He smiled as he looked back to the singer, who really didn't look like he was really enjoying his work conversation. Sora smiled, albeit weakly, as he watched Xa'kryn disappear upstairs. It was some forty minutes later before Sora was able to leave the dining area, having gone through every detail that Toreku had wanted too about their route this time through La Noscea. He wasn't usually awake when Xa'kryn did his morning workout, as both of them woke up late, but this time caught the end of it. he took up as seat on the deck next too the door that lead downstairs. Sora found himself blushing slightly as he watched him practice his swordplay. He thought the way he move strong, but also elegant as if it were a dance, and he could see the sweat glistening off him as me moved and honestly found it sexy as all hells. He couldn't tear his eyes away from him. For Xa'k, this was the penultimate moment of his emotional training, for he was aware of Sora's arrival immediately, but continue on as though he hadn't notice. He ignored the wave of self-consciousness and nervousness as it passed through him, and focused on his own movement, and the rhythm in his head. Little did Sora know, it was a rhythm he, himself, knew well.

By the time Xa'kryn was finished, it was mid afternoon. Sora saw the Paladin's face go a very slight pink as he finished, and walked over to where he was sitting and slumps down beside him. It was clear to Xa'k that he wasn't the only one that had gone red in the face. He said nothing about it, and merely slips the singers hand into his, and held it until he regained his breath. By that time, it was time for his briefing with the guards and he had to once again separate himself from Sora. It was another day out, but they still had to go over their plans for the arrival in Limsa as well as the roster change.

 

Sora returned too his room in this time, and pulled out many pieces of parchment from the bags by the foot of his bed. He used the breakfast tray that was stashed underneath the cabinet as a table so he could sit or lay comfortably on the bed while he worked. He took this time to work on a couple of new ideas for songs he had been thinking of, though he was finding it harder to write down the rhythm and tune in his head without the instruments there to confirm the notes. It was over an hour later when Xa'kryn returned, carrying a small tray of snacks for the singer to eat. 

 

"I wasn't sure what you would like, so I brought a little of everything..." Xa'kryn said, as he closed the door behind him with one hand. 

Sora hastily shoved some parchment out of the way and cleared the breakfast tray he was using with a smile. "Thank you." Sora smiled in return as Xa'k place the tray down in the space that Sora had just cleared. 

 

"What are you working on?" he asked as he watch Sora tidy up the parchment strewn around him to make room for him to sit beside him. 

"I was attempting to work on a song I want to compose," he replied, "But it's quite difficult to transpose without my piano... and I cannot work on lyrics and melody when all I have is my violin...." Sora vented as Xa'kryn took the spot cleared for him. The singer went slightly pink, but Xa'kryn only smiled as he glance over too him. There was a moment of silence when he had finished putting aside most of his work as he tried to think of a way to phrase a question that had been bothering him. "You said before that you have only have been with one person... and that it was merely lust driven...?" 

"...That is correct." Xa'kryn replied softly.

"I... I understand physical attraction of course, but there were no other feelings there?" Sora added with a very slight frown on his face.

"For us... it was merely a means to experiment with feelings, and desires that were taboo. I think the kick was mostly that we were literally breaking laws." he replied honestly as he gaze into those azure eyes that earnestly gaze back. "The Holy Sea is not like Eorzea where people can be free to be with whomever. Most marriages for nobles, like I was, are prearranged from childhood... It's more business then it is to do with any emotions." he replied, and looked lost in thought for a moment or two before continuing, "People like us, who don't follow the norms, usually end up living a lie of a life... for family, honor, and whatnot..." 

"Wait," Sora stopped him for a moment. "You're not allowed to fall in love?"

"It's not that it isn't allowed; it just rarely works out when one does." he replied honestly. "My father for instance, was married, to a woman he did not love, but did not hate. A marriage was arranged for him when he was a child as a means to get power for the family within the State... My brother and I were mothered not by his wife, but his mistress, a woman he had fallen in love with... If it weren't for the fact that his wife were barren, we probably would not have had the life of luxury, privilege, nobility, and rule that we had." He paused only momentarily before he continued, "I was not allowed to talk to anyone of a lower caste unless they were my servants and even then, they were not allowed to engage me unless asked a direct question... and any social event held was usually just a ploy for one house or another to set up their children." Sora had sidled himself in closer too him and slipped his fingers in between Xa'k's as he spoke, "We met when we were sixteen... He noticed the way I looked at him once at a social event. I saw the same look of disdain on his face that I had when women fawned over me when he was trapped by a group of them, and just smirked at him. They were oblivious to how little he was enjoying himself; it was obvious to me across the great hall." It had been a while since he thought of his ex, and though he did not feel love for him, he still regretted the way he left, "We were never able to get close, much less talk while surrounded... as our families... suffered from disagreements, to put it lightly... At the first opportunity I snuck out into the hedge-maze to the side of the estate, and he as quick to take the hint to follow. We barely exchanged names and before I knew it we were making out... and it just became a thing; there was very little talking... as that would get us caught." He never meant to vent, or open up this much, and felt himself becoming slightly embarrassed. It wasn't something that he talked about often, "As a 'Holy state', scriptures of our religion were brought into law and we are taught at a very young age that things like a man laying with another man is a one way ticket to damnation. It was on the same plain as stealing, or murdering in their eyes, but we didn't care... we just wanted to be ourselves and not have to feign an attraction we did not have." 

Sora found himself playing gently with the Paladin's hand as he spoke. He hadn't expected him to open up like he did, but he was happy that he did. "...How long ago was this? " He could no longer resist asking.

"It ended just before my twentieth birthday," he replied as he regained the eye contact he had lost as he rambled about his past, "Almost six years ago now..." 

Sora found himself kissing the paladin as a means to thank him before he was able to force out any proper words. "....I'm sorry," the singer apologized but didn't pull away too far, "I know you want more then just that. It's just... I'm happy that you've opened up..." he bit his lip a moment, "You want to know the difference between you and Tracey?", this piqued the Elezen's curiosity "Tracey knew everything about me and I him. This whole aspect of the relationship is as new to me as it is to you. And I can honestly say for myself that I am excited to know you better, no matter how hard things had been. Those events make you who you are, the man I am falling for." 

 

Xa'kryn smiled as he lent in closer, and caressed Sora's cheek with one hand, "I did say that I wanted more then just a physical relationship, yes, but that doesn't mean that I want you too feel like you have to hold yourself back when it's just the two of us..." he replied, resting forehead to forehead. "You are already giving me what I wanted, which is to know the real you. I want to know you just as well as he did, if not more..." he said before pulling the singer into a kiss deeper then the last. They had been holding back all day, and it showed. They found themselves entwining tongues as they both fall back against the bed, making Sora extra glad he took the time to clean up all of his work.

~~

The next day passes with very little of note. Sora spent time with is music sheets while Xa'kryn did his training, and meetings. Xa'kryn and Sora still took to being close, but had definitely held themselves back while wandering about the ship for Toreku's sake. There were mutterings between the other guards within the ship about the Ul'dan Paladin and the singer, but it was kept to hear-say. One swore they saw a print of them in the Raven when they left Gridania, but without the copy, not many of the others believed it. One pointed out that given the chance, every single one of them would end up flirting with the singer, whether they like men or not and that the rest shouldn't begrudge someone for being lucky. This sort of gossip was much easier for Xa'kryn to ignore. It was far better, in his opinion, then overhearing gossiping about his mentor, whom they seem to have forgotten about. Xa'kryn makes his way back downstairs, to Sora's room to check if he needed help packing up anything. He had already packed what little he had last night, and had already brought it down to he cargo hold early that morning. "Sora?" he asked after a quick knock before letting himself in. 

The singer looked as though he had nearly all his things packed up, but wasn't in sight when Xa'kryn entered the room. If it wasn't for the very faint humming he could hear, he would have been worried. He followed the sound down the very small hall all at the back of the room beside the washroom to an open door that led out onto a balcony with a very high rail. It seems the singer got distracted by the view. And rightly so. They were arriving to Limsa Lominsa via Western La Noscea and from this altitude you could clearly sea the giant coral underneath the waves as well as schools of aurelia gently glowing with phosphorescence even in the day. 

 

The humming stopped shortly after Xa'k took a step out onto the deck. "Isn't it beautiful?" the singer asked, he was beaming and only took his eyes off the landscape for a moment to catch the gaze of the paladin. 

"Very." Xa'kryn replied, though his eyes were on Sora the entire time, and wasn't really focusing on the scenery, as breath-taking as it was. Sora blushed slightly, though still smiling, holding his hair from his face with one hand. "We're almost there. Are you ready?"

The singer extended a hand, to which the paladin immediately picked up on his desire for him to grasp it. "Are you?" he asked as he pulled himself closer. 

"I'm ready." He replied, as he wrapped his arm around Sora's waist. "It can't be worse then the tribunal at home." he added with a slight smirk. 

"It definitely won't be that bad." Sora giggled. The two of them shared a dauntless kiss still out on the balcony before finally heading back inside and grabbing the rest of Sora's things to bring to the cargo hold to be reloaded onto the carriages that await their arrival. 

They were just pulling into Limsa Lominsa when finally went above deck, still holding hands from the relatively long walk from the lower decks of the ship. they were greeted above deck by a sour faced Toreku, who seemed disappointed with how long it took Xa'k to return with him. He frowned as he looked up to Sora. "Your hair..." as he handed him a brush he kept on hand.

"It's an Airship, Toreku." He replied, letting go of Xa'kryn's hand to the relief of his manager. "I'm sure Eorzea can handle seeing slightly frizzy hair." 

"Maybe," The Lalafell replied half glancing too the Elezen who also sported slightly unkempt hair, that was wind tousled, but it was clear the managers mind was elsewhere. "But you've a chance to fix it now, so do so." to which the singer begrudgingly obliged, not wanting to bicker so close to landing. 

 

As the three of them had anticipated, the arrivals area was packed, not with patrons, but by press. Several journalists for the Harbor Harold were as close to the ramp as the Maelstrom guards would allow. They were all shouting questions the moment they saw even the hint of blue garb, it was hard to pick out any single one until they got closer, aside from the shortest one. "Is it true?" Toreku put on his best poker face and headed down the ramp followed by Sora, who gave himself a few meters distance between he and his manager. He continued at regular pace when Xa'kryn was a little closer. Above the sound of Sora's name being called by dozens of people at the same time, he could now hear the sound of muttering between those at the back. Sora could not only see the demeanor of the crowed change upon fully seeing the Paladin's face, but he could feel it in the air. Xa'k gave Sora a reassuring look when he glanced back to him.

"Mr. Evens! Mr. Evens!" One Lalafell reporter who had pushed himself right up against the gate shouted to get his attention. If it weren't for his surprising baritone voice, he might have melded in with the white noise of the crowd, but Sora slowed down momentarily to listen, "Let's just cut to the chase here and get to the reason why everyone is here, is what was published in the last publication of the Raven true?" He glanced up to the tall dark haired Elezen as he finished his question, then returned his gaze back to the singer.

The singer paused for a moment before replying simply, "It's true." and continuing on when Xa'kryn was beside him, who held out an arm for him to grasp. 

It was when Sora's grip gently onto the paladin's arm that the reporters around him bombarded him with similar questions, "is this a real relationship or just a rebound?", "are you actually over your break up?", "how long has this been going on?" All of which, Sora ignored as they walk arm in arm. They follow Toreku to the lift who look none too pleased as the doors closed behind them.

 

"I really wish you would have let me handle that," Toreku sighed the second the lift started moving. 

"And how would you have gone about that?" Sora let go of Xa'kryn and crossed his arms, now showing a little disdain for his manager at the moment, "I know you want all the press to be about my job and not my personal life, but you can't expect to have it be like before. Yes, with Tracey it was that because I was in that relationship from the start of this. You cannot expect them to ignore what they see. They are going to write about it anyway, and I have nothing to hide." he replied feeling momentarily saddened when he thought about his ex, "Prolonging it will just make me feel like I'm hiding this from him, and I'm not, nor do I want too." he slipped his fingers between Xa'kryn's as he spoke. "Getting it over with now means the curiosity will die away faster, and the press will return to promoting the charity events like you want."

"This isn't just about you, you know that right?" Toreku snapped.

"Of course I know that." Sora retorted. "I've put everyone's wants above my own for years, and the one time I put what I want first, You try to lecture for it? Aren't you only upset because you put so much effort into the charity work only to have it over-shadowed?"

Toreku sighs; "My job withstanding, did you even ask Xa'k if it would be okay to just be out in public like that? Now wherever he goes people are going to be watching his every move. Not to mention what his guild's reaction could be."

 

"Suddenly your concerned about me?" Xa'kryn somewhat chuckled. "He did ask, Toreku, and I'm fine with it, and I couldn't give two shits what the guild thinks," the worst they could do is fire him, and that would just give him even more time with Sora, "I've been exiled from my home before, I could bear it again for something like this if they deem it necessary."

 

Toreku glared, and opened his mouth as if he were about to start ranting again, but was stopped when the lift doors opened. Toreku glanced out the door to see a small crowd forming behind the line of guards awaiting Sora's arrival. "This isn't over..." He retorted as he stormed away, leaving Xa'kryn and Sora behind, who were still holding hands.

Xa'k could feel Sora's hand tense up in frustration as he watched his manager disappear down the hall through the crowds. "Pay him no mind, Sora." Xa'kryn said softly. "He'll get over it, he just needs some time to realize that I'm not my mentor, and that we are serious about this. I already told you that I'm willing to withstand no matter whats thrown at us."

~~


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

Over the next week, Xa'kryn and Sora were careful while in the public eye, and try their hardest not to get cornered by any unwanted press. The 'worst' that the press saw was one solitary kiss one night after one of Sora's shows near Wineport. In their free time, Xa'kryn took Sora wherever he wanted to go within the city with relative privacy, though there were usually two or three Maelstrom guards at a distance. They wander the markets at dawn and visit all the vendors, as Sora was rarely allowed to even go to the shops, much less browse through the stalls when he was younger. It was one of Sora's favourite things to do, especially in Limsa, where they sold a lot of freshly baked goods. The culinarians guild brought in recipes from around Eorzea, and you could smell it wafting down from piers away. At dusk, they would take evening strolls on upper decks, and watch the stars before walking back to Summerford, where Toreku had rented again for their stay.

 

Toreku was still upset with them for the first week they were there. It took him a while to get over his frustration whenever he looked at them close to really stop and notice how they actually were together. The two of them were not all over each other openly like he had half expected, at least from Xa'k. To his surprise, it seemed to be the opposite. Xa'kryn was attentive to Sora's every want; seeming to know what he needs before he's able to ask for it. He finally saw that not having to sneak around helped Sora better focus on writing and composing, and, seemed to have given him a second wind; and more over, Sora was finally happy again. It occurred to Toreku too late that he did not think Xa'kryn another Scy, but another Tracey and it took him a while to conclude that he is neither.

 

Xa'kryn got up extra early one morning, and after his training routine made breakfast for the three of them. As he wasn't very picky, he had made note of the foods Sora avoided over the past few weeks and made a breakfast with all food he seemed to favour He made sure that there were a few things that he knew Toreku would eat, but it was clearly a breakfast for Sora. The Lalafell furrowed his brow as he entered the kitchen to see Xa'kryn instead of the cook he had hired. He was thrown off guard not only by that, but by the fact that Xa'kryn seemed to know what he was doing in the kitchen, and that it was still very clean despite what looked like a lot going on. Xa'kryn was just cooking something over the stove when Toreku sat down.

 

"...I wanted to apologize." Toreku said after a moment of hesitation. He paused as he glanced to where Xa'kryn still stood over the stove. "It seems that I was wrong," He had been mulling over it for a few days, and it took him more time to get over his own pride and admit it to himself then it did to Xa'k. "but you have to understand where I am coming from with this."

 

"I understand completely where you're coming from, Toreku, but it took you far too long to judge me on my own merits then you did to judge me on those of others." he replied as he flipped the toast in the pan. "I've been doing this job for how long now? We've known one another for years now. I had hoped you thought more of me then what you have." he added.

 

 

"The men in my life have always turned out to be not what they seemed. I was just being cautious." Toreku retorted hastily, "Sora's previous relationship was his first, and very long term... I was just afraid that that Sora may be reading his own emotions incorrectly and getting a little ahead of himself."

 

 

"and acting like Tracey never existed does not help him either, you know." Xa'kryn replied in a very calm tone "You can't even say his name and by doing so you've been making it harder on Sora. You're walking on eggshells that needn't exist."

 

"...You're right.... but I cannot even give words to how angry I am at that asshole, not only for what he did, but how he did it." He replied honestly. "You weren't around when it had just happened. You didn't see the extent of Sora's devastation. I couldn't bare to see it happen again, so soon."

 

"Like I told you before, if anyone is going to do the heartbreaking, it will be him."

 

"I was worried about you as well," Toreku hastily replied. "Scy mentioned you had never showed any interest in anyone before; like I said, I thought Sora was getting ahead of himself..."

 

"It's somewhat sweet that you feel compelled to watch over me in Scy's stead, but I am a grown man, I'll be able handle it if it happens." Xa'kryn said as he plated up the stuffed La Noscean toast

 

"I suppose you're right... and I should consider myself lucky that these turn of events played out the way they had. If you were like Scy-"

 

"If I were anything like Scylus, it would not have taken years for me to get this close to him." He calmly replied before the Lalafell could finish his sentence. "Just because I studied under him and became like his family does not mean I'm anything like him. I don't make games out of bedding clients. You said it yourself; I have not shown interest in anyone but Sora since I've left Ishgard. I've been celibate for years and still have not broken my oath."

 

Toreku look up to him with in disbelief. "You mean you...?" Toreku said, clearly showing a puzzled expression

 

"No. We haven't. Not even close." He replied firmly as he placed the plates down on the table.

 

It wasn't until the meal looked nearly complete did Toreku realize how elaborate it really was. "You seem to have gone all out for breakfast today..." Toreku said eyeballing the steaming toast.

 

"Of course I did," Xa'kryn replied to the Lalafell as he took off the apron he had been wearing. "I have a feeling that today will be hard for him without something more then just work to distract him." He shot Toreku a look as if to say 'Wait' as he reached for his cutlery. There was shuffling from behind them which brought their attention behind them.

 

"What's all this..?" Sora asked sleepily as he entered the room, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. It too a moment before really being able to really take in all that was going on on the table. Baked Brie en Croûte, La Noscean toast stuffed with apple compote, and hand made whipped cream. Eggs the way Sora liked them, a side of bacon and a glass of fresh squeezed La Noscea orange juice; It was all of Sora's favourites.

 

"Right on time." Xa'kryn said as he straightened up from where he had bent over slightly to place the plates down. He went slightly pink as he glance to Xa'k who walked over to the end of the table, where Sora usually sat and pulled out a chair for him. Xa'k wasn't wearing the armour he had usually, but something far more casual, but still very elegant and dressy. "Happy Nameday." Xa'kryn said softly with a smile before kissing him softly.

 

"Thank you," Sora replied after gripping onto his shirt to hold it for a second or two. Sora was a little shocked, not only was it all of his favourite foods for breakfast on his name day, but for the first time, it was something only for him. "How did you know?" Sora asked, still somewhat pink who glanced to Toreku who shook his head as if to say he didn't know either.

 

"If you thought I didn't already know my boyfriend's nameday, you're mistaken." A statement which caused Sora to blush further.

  
"I don't remember telling you..." He replied with his eyes focused on the plate of food now in front of him. He had honestly made a point not to mention it. Today would be his first nameday without his twin sister, and was hoping to ignore the day all together. Xa'kryn knew how hard his first birthday without his twin was, even if it was he that left him behind, so he made effort to make this one a little special for Sora.  
  


 

"You didn't," He replied. "but you did tell the Knights of San D'Oria."

 

"...I didn't think you were listening," at the moment, though, he thought Xa'k more concerned with that Miqo'te woman.  
  
"To every word," he replied. "and to every lame pass made." He added with a slight smirk.

 

Sora tried to stop his face from flushing, "Did you make everything yourself?"

 

"I did," He replied as he took a seat next too him. They both waited for Sora too take the first bite before they too started eating. Xa'kryn seemed pleased with Sora's initial reaction to the taste of the stuffed La Noscean toast he had made.

 

"This is delicious!" Sora exclaimed before he took another couple of bites, to which Xa'kryn just smiles. "...who taught you how to cook?" Sora asked.

 

"The family chef back home taught me," he replied, "She let me prepare meals for my family with her help, which wasn't strictly allowed, and taught me what little I do know. She said I have a knack for it, but... due to my status back home, it would have been frowned upon for me to take up a job doing so."

 

 

Sora raised a brow at the words 'what little I know', this breakfast seemed to be pretty fancy. "How long did it take you to make all this...?"

 

"Not nearly as long as you might think." he replied with a smile. "Just under two hours. The hardest part was the pastry, but I made that a day in advance, and the rest is mostly just waiting."

 

Xa'kryn knew the meal was good, as they all ate in silence for the majority of it. When they were nearly finished Xa'kryn spoke up once more. "I had planned more then just breakfast for you today," he said softly glancing to the singer as he looked up from his plate.

 

Sora frowned slightly, only because he had planned himself working all day to forget the day even existed. "Only if you so want, though," Xa'kryn added.

 

"...I did have a lot of work lined up for the day... however," Sora glanced to the end of the table where his manager has sat in silence for most of the meal. "Would it be possible to get out of it today?"  
  
"It is your day, Sora," Toreku replied. "You may do as you wish."

 

 

~~

 

Xa'kryn knew how hard his first nameday without his twin was, even if it was he that left him behind, so he made effort to make this one a little special for Sora. He started Sora's day with a long walk from Summerford farm's all the way down to The Brewer's Beacon light house, quite near Aleport. The day was a little cloudy, but even still they had a great view of the Southtide Gate that spanned across the channel to the Isle of Umbra. While they were alone at the view deck near the top of the lighthouse, they got a little lost. Sora meant to only kiss him as a thank you, but with very few layers of cloth and plate between them, they got a little more lost in each other then they meant. They took their time getting back, and did a little sight seeing on their way back from the Nym River Skylift.

 

 

When they arrived back to the farm Sora was greeted by a chipper moogle, who had a package for him. Sora seemed surprised, but grateful as he took the package off his hands, as though he was not expecting anything more. They went inside and Xa'kryn watched as Sora open it, to reveal a letter, and a cake. "It's from Luscia..." Sora said aloud as he opened the letter.

 

 

_Dear Sora,_

 

_Happy Nameday! I know you probably don't want to hear that, given everything that has happened to you over the past year, but know without this day I would not have you in my life as one of my best friends and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Since today is the first you celebrate while Rachel is not with you, I decided to make you something special. Remember when were like 15 and you asked about a pumpkin cheesecake? Well surprise! Took some trial and error, but I think it came out good, I hope you like it!_

 

_Not much has been really going on around here. Your mother has been helping me in the gardens. She had been a big help. She misses you and is super proud of you, but you'll likely hear that from her herself by the end of the day. Mom is doing rather well, her medication seems to be doing the trick. She has been a big help not only in making your cheesecake, but in taking care of the chocobos as well. Oh did I say chocobos? Why yes, I did! Eva's egg hatched! You can tell your friend he can be a proud Papa. I've attached a picture of the little one and his mama. They are so cute! I have been taking Eva out for runs around the Beds and I swear she is getting faster and faster. She seems to be breaking her record times each time we go out._

 

_How have things been with you? I have heard that your performances have been raved about since you revealed your new boyfriend. Yes, I did see the article in the Raven. I am so happy you feel that you can open up again to someone. I can't wait to see you perform when you hit Gridania again. Dem should be home from training by then too, maybe we can have dinner together and meet him?_

 

_I think that's everything, miss and love you,_

 

_Luscia_

 

 

Attached was a picture of Eva and her tiny chick which even from the black and white photo, Xa'kryn could tell had to be blue grey. That for him, narrows down the sire a little bit.

Sora shared the cheese cake that Luscia had made for him with him, and both of them blushed slightly when Xa'kryn took the bite offered him directly off the fork Sora held for him.

 

Xa'kryn had hoped the weather would stay nice but it looked as though there were clouds rolling in. He figured he would chance it, and went ahead with what he had planned anyway. He lead Sora out of the Farm once more and the two head for Limsa; Xa'kryn had one stop there to make with Sora before the final thing he had planned out.

 

Xa'kryn and Sora took a small stroll through the lower decks and were followed by their usual company of three Maelstrom guards and stopped at the stalls that lined Hawker's alley. Xa'kryn took Sora's hands in his to draw his attention back to him, as his eyes were still browsing through the goods. "If anything catches your eye, tell me, and it's yours." Xa'kryn offered as they came to a standstill in front the jewellers stall. "Anything, at all." He reassured him, when Sora shot him a questioning glance.

 

Sora did take a few moments too look at all the pieces on offer. Xa'kryn watched his eyes stop more than once at a particular set of High Allagan earrings, the gem in which just so happened to the exact shade of blue to match his stage outfit. Sora bit his lip slightly, "You might find me silly, but I cannot seem to find anything." he fibbed, feeling guilty at the price of the only thing that caught his eye. "We can continue on to the next stop you had planned."

 

"Only if you're sure." Xa'kryn replied. "We can always come back, you know, should you change your mind."

 

"I don't think I-" there was a sudden whirring from within Sora's vest pocket. He quickly pulled out one of his Link-pearls and held it to his ear. "Hello?" he paused for a moment as he listen.

 

 _"Happy Nameday, Sweetie"_ Xa'k could just faintly hear from his distance.

 

"Thank you, mom." Sora replied. He was not expecting her to call this early.

 

_"How is your name day so far?_

 

"Wonderful." he replied sweetly with a glance up to Xa'kryn.

 

 _"I read in the Raven that you've got yourself a new boyfriend. Is that true?!"_ she asked excitedly.

 

"Yeah... It's true." he replied as he turned away slightly from Xa'kryn, who looked just as hot without all his plated armour, who he had been slightly ogling. This was the opportunity Xa'kryn took, to motion to the merchant to discreetly box up the set of earrings he saw Sora had his eyes on.

 

_"I must meet him! Tell me about him; What's his name?! What's he like? I read he's Elezen and he's a Paladin, like Dem is training to be. Oh,Dem has become quite an attractive young man since starting his training, don't you think? I imagine the same of your new beau. Already a full fledged Paladin. How much older is he then you?"_

 

Sora was blushing as he was barraged with questions, Xa'kryn could tell by how red the tips of his ears went. "...His name's Xa'k... and I'm actually out on a date with him right now..." He replied with a quick glance behind him. Xa'k, thankfully, was able to settle up and pocket it before the time Sora turned back around.

 

_"Awww, that's so sweet of him to take him out for your nameday! I'm sorry to have interrupted, call me back later tonight, okay?"_

 

Sora was still blushing. "Alright. I will."

 

 _"You'll have to give me all the details!"_ She exclaimed. _"I love you!"_

 

"I love you too, mom..." He said before they both said their goodbyes, and he put away the linkpearl. "...I"m sorry about that." Sora said softly.

 

"No need to apologize" He replied with a smile, holding his arm out, "Shall we continue?"

 

 

Xa'kryn walked with Sora through the Drowning Wench, followed by the Maelstrom in the not to far distance and made their way up too the Culinarian guild to pick up one closed basket to which Sora could not see the contents. On their way out, though, they stopped at the herbalist where Xa'kryn presented Sora with a bouquet of flowers from ones that he himself had picked, and asked the herbalist to arrange. Wildflowers that matched the azure of his eyes, mixed with some of violet.

 

"Thank you," Sora said while starting to blush again, "They're beautiful." He was not expecting yet another gift.

 

"You're welcome." Xa'kryn smirked, knowing the surprises weren't over yet.

 

They slowly made their way back from Limsa. Sora watched with a little bit of confusion as the Maelstrom guards they hired continue on the path towards the farm, when Xa'kryn pulled them a different route. They cross the bridge over the Agelyss River, to the exact spot Xa'kryn had first kissed him, Xa'kryn had had someone stop by and place blanket and a couple of small lanterns set up for them while they strolled through Limsa Lominsa, and for the first time in a very long while, they were completely alone.

 

Xa'kryn places the basket down on the edge and gently tugs Sora by the hand and pulls him closer too him and wraps his other arm around his waist. Sora felt his face get a little warm as the gap between them was closed.

 

"...You remembered." Sora said softly and quietly as he recognize the spot as the place where Xa'k had first kissed him; He was such an emotional wreck that day that it honestly took him a second to realize that that was there they were.

 

"Of course I did." Xa'kryn replied. "It's going to be impossible for me to forget."

 

The basket Xa'kryn had picked up was filled with more of Sora's favourites, including a bottle of Sora's favourite wine, already on ice. There were a few finger foods, such as fried dodo, sandwich quarters, vegetable wraps, as well as a platter filled with fresh fruits, deli meats and cheeses, and a couple of different varieties of pasta and pototo salads for Sora too choose from. Sora seemed very pleased with the assortment, and after eating a sandwich or two took to feeding Xa'kryn La Noscean grapes, who seemed content just lounging back and watching him.

 

Xa'kryn smirked as he looked over to the singer who was half a glass into his wine. Sora was being spoiled, and starting to feel a little guilty about it; Xa'kryn could tell. "You know, I wouldn't do these things if I didn't already want too." He said as he sidled in a little closer too him.

 

"...I know." Sora replied with the wine glass near his lips. "but, I'm honestly not used too getting so much. I'm-"  
  
"-used to sharing?" Xa'kryn smirked slightly, "I know." He reached with his one hand and caressed Sora's cheek as Sora lowered the glass to the side. "There is one last thing, though." Xa'kryn said as he pulled out the palm sized package he had gotten while Sora was distracted by his mother. The merchant had wrapped it in metallic blue paper, something very suitable and matched the singers eyes just as well as the items themselves.

 

Sora was a little bewildered as he was handed yet another gift. His eyes widen as he opened the package too see the pair of High Allagan earrings he had been looking at earlier. He goes slightly pink with embarrassment then a pang of guilt hits him."...but these are..."  
  
"I told you that you could get anything, Sora." Xa'kryn replied.

 

"But these were expensive, Xa'k..." Sora frowned slightly.  
  
"I don't care about that." Xa'kryn replied as he took the earrings out of their box. "I did tell you I was well off in Ishgard; I wasn't left with nothing when I left..." he added as he put the earrings on Sora himself. "I almost need an excuse to spend it, and you're a better reason than any." He smiles as he caresses Sora's cheeks with both thumbs after placing both the earrings in Sora's ears. "and they suit you." he added before leaning in, and closing the small gap that was between them and kissing him deeply.

 

Sora can feel his heart fluttering in his chest as he's kissed. He found his arms wrapping around the Elezen's shoulders and his face goes a slight shade darker as he returns the kiss, and runs his fingers through the Elezen's short black hair. He did feel guilty about the earrings, but he was also incredibly happy. It wasn't until they both got lost within each other and abandoned the food and the wine that the weather decided to give.

 

Dark clouds cut dusk short and it started to pour and it was the rain that separated them. They managed to grab everything and cross the bridge before what Xa'k expected to be a light rain turned into a heavy storm very quickly. Xa'kryn pulls Sora into Seasong Grotto, a cave that was on the way to Summerford, just get out of the monsoon. It already seemed as though they would be in there for a while just due to the extent of the storm. Xa'kryn set up the blanket on one of the hearth stone in the  centre of the cave so Sora could sit without getting dirty. Sora watched Xa'k with curiosity as he pull a few things from the pocket of his dress attire and places them at several points around the cave entrance. It wasn't until they were all set up did Sora realize what it was. He had never seen a glamour so large, nor one that reflects only the stone, not the life inside. They were now completely hidden from anyone, or anything that happened to pass, even if they were standing directly in front of the door. 

 

"...being caught in the storm aside," Xa'kryn spoke as he walked back over too where Sora sat on the hearth and took a seat beside him, "How was your nameday?"

 

"...I don't think there is a word with an adequate enough... " Sora replied as he slipped his hand into Xa'kryn's. "Beyond perfect... I've never had a nameday where the attention is all on me... Even with Tracey, we'd never have the entire day together; I'd inevitably have to share my time..." he went slightly pink when he realized he was talking to someone who understood that, being a twin himself. "Thank you, Xa'k; for everything today... especially the earrings..." he added as he sidled a little closer too him, and went a shade darker when he looked up to meet his gaze finally. "...How did you know these were the ones...?

 

"Your eyes stopped on them more then a dozen times when you were scanning the case."

 

"and when did you even get them?" Sora asked, blushing at the fact that Xa'kryn seemed to be able to read him so easily.

 

"Your mother has some impeccable timing. I'll have to thank her for calling at just the right moment..." He smiled before admitting, "I was just going to pick them up tomorrow instead, but you were distracted just enough."

 

"...speaking of mom... She does want to meet you."

 

"She does?" For some reason, he had half expected a similar reaction to him as Toreku. "We could arrange for that. When we get to Ul'dah I'll see if I can arrange some time off when you go to Gridania," He added. He was unable to gauge Sora's reaction to his statement, as it seemed to shock him that he'd agree so readily. "That is, if you wish. I know that I'd like you too better get to know Negs, now that she'll stop playing games..."

 

"Luscia and Dem would also like too get to know you too." Sora giggled softly. "Would it be better to arrange one dinner?"

 

"You think so?" Xa'kryn asked as he wrapped his other arm around Sora's waist as he lean in towards him, the fingers of his other hand still interlaced with his. "We're still in Limsa for another few weeks; and then we got to go back to Ul'dah..." There is definitely a lecture waiting for him when he arrives; but he doesn't care. "Let's worry about that when it gets closer too it." He said before closing the gap between them entirely and lock lips with the singer.

 

It didn't take them long to give back into their urges once they started kissing again. Their tongues intertwined with one another as Sora was slowly reclined back against the blanket on the hearth with Xa'kryn on top of him. They had been holding back all week, and it took very little for either of them to become painfully hard; especially because this time there was no plated armour between them, and they could feel one another's throbs through the cloth with how close they were.

 

Xa'kryn lets go of the hand he had been holding which had been held shoulder height against the blanket and runs his fingers through Sora's hair as he deepen the kiss momentarily. His hand caresses the singer's earlobe very lightly before gently running his fingers down the singers neck and down to his collar. He slipped his hand up his shirt and exposed his already hardened nipples as he gently started to play with them. Xa'kryn feels his hardness against his as Sora arched back a little to the gentle teasing Xa'kryn was doing and the kiss was softened. Sora's body shivers as Xa'kryn's fingers gently caress all the way down Sora's side too his navel. Xa'kryn's member throbs as Sora makes an audible gasp as the dark haired Elezen teased his nipples with his tongue momentarily as his hand slipped even farther downward and brush over his hardened cock while Xa'k's thumbs play with Sora's waistband.

 

"What about you...?" Sora managed to ask breathlessly, biting at his own lip.

 

"If you think this does nothing for me, you're mistaken." The smirk Sora saw on Xa'kryn's face as he sat forward and glanced down to him he found extra arousing causing him to throb once more.

 

Sora's face was a shade Xa'kryn had never seen before as this time, instead of touching him over cloth, Xa'kryn gently tugged on Sora's trousers just enough to expose his hard member to the air. The way they had been laying, it was easy for Xa'k to kneel onto the ground. Xa'k slipped himself between the singers legs before he could even ask what he was doing. He teased the tip of Sora's member with his tongue, causing Sora to gasp out a stifled moan before he had even brushed his shaft with his fingers. He felt he could probably come from just the noises he had made Sora make, and quite nearly did so and they spend the next several minutes in relative silence; the only thing breaking it were Sora's stifled moans. Although Sora liked to tease himself, when he was teased by another, he had half the virility.

 

 

"Xa'k~!" Sora choked out his name as the only means to warn him, and felt himself go a few shades darker when Xa'kryn did not let up, but swallowed his full climax in one go. Sora had a hard time making eye contact with him for a moment or two after he had finished. That was far hotter then Sora had ever imagined, and he had taken to masturbating to that thought a lot.

 

Sora was embarrassed as Xa'kryn helped him pull up his shorts, and didn't know really what to say. He could clearly see how hard Xa'k still was through his trousers as he took up a spot back on the hearth. Xa'kryn wrapped his arm around Sora's waist and used the other to turn his attention directly back to him with a gently caress of his jawline. As Xa'kryn locks lips with Sora once more Sora grips onto Xa'kryn's shoulders slips himself closer. Xa'kryn had to let go of Sora to steady himself. He used both arms behind him to hold himself up as the singer climbed onto his lap and wrap his arms around him. Sora keeps one arm wrapped loosely around Xa'kryn's shoulder and lets the other hand explore Elezen's chiselled core and slip down into his lap. Xa'kryn's cock throbs as it is gently fondled through the fabric, and he audibly gasps as Sora's hand slips into his trousers after pausing a moment for the button and zip and exposes the Elezen's extremely hard member to the air in between them.

 

"You know you needn't-" He choked out. Sora raised his hand momentarily to his lips to stop him and took the opportunity to play with his mouth gently and moisten his fingers with the Elezen's saliva.  
  
"But I want too..." Sora breathed into his ear before gently sucking on his lobes and returning his hand too the tip of Xa'kryn's cock. Though there was slightly more to work with then he was used to, Sora found a pace that made the Elezen moan with pleasure, though it was clear he was trying to stifle it, and it was no help that Sora was really good with his hands. Sora ran his tongue down his ear to the nape of his neck before slipping himself down the Elezen's laps, and returning the favour given to him minutes before. Not only was Xa'k bigger then what he was used too, but had far more girth too him. Xa'kryn shudder with pleasure as the singer's tongue caressed the rim of the head of his cock, teasing him for a moment or two, before taking what little of the massive Elezen cock he could into his mouth. This was unfair to Xa'k and he curse once under his breath. Sora was not only good with his hands, but with his tongue as well. He had nearly come once to just Sora's moaning alone. He felt like he should have been able to hold out longer then a couple of minutes, but he just couldn't. The moment he make eye contact with Sora doing that was when he lost it. "Sora." he could barely warn him before he climaxed; like he had, Sora did not let up, and took the Paladin's seed into his mouth. As Sora sat up, and cleaned the mess from his lips with his tongue was when Xa'kryn felt compelled to lean forward. He pulled him into his lap, still exposed between and lock lips with the singer once more and intertwined his tongue with his. His mouth still tasted of Sora, and the kiss was now interlaced with a mixture of their fluids.

 

With a slight smirk on his face, Sora help him to put away his member, and do up his pants with one of his arms still draped around the Paladin's shoulder, still straddling his lap. They kiss for a few minutes more before Sora breaks the it.

 

"Thank you for everything, Xa'k," Sora breathed softly as he held himself close; their noses where still briskly touching. "and not just for tonight..."

 

Xa'kryn had to search for the words; "I feel like it is I who should be thanking you; for giving me a chance and for bringing some life back to my world. I had forgotten what it was like to be more than just content. You make me feel happiness beyond words; more than I ever thought I would feel again." The Paladin softly caressed the singers cheek before kissing him deeply once more.

 

 

Sora takes hold of Xa'kryn's wrist and places it to his chests, as to show the Elezen how fast his heart beat underneath his fingertips. He pulled away again, a smile so warm still on his face from the day's events; "I know that feeling as well..."

 

Xa'kryn caresses Sora's neck as he pulled him in for one more kiss only to have to break it mere seconds later by the sound of shouting. They could hear coming from outside the cave from the Maelstrom who were now looking for them, as they did not return when they said they would. The storm had not passed, but let up as they hit the eye of it enough for Toreku to send a group out to search.

  
Sora packs up the blanket and grabs the basket they had abandoned while Xa'kryn took down the glamour that kept them hidden. They startled the guards as they doubled back. They had already checked the cave, and hadn't seen them on their first pass. They had just enough time to be escorted back home before the rain began to fall heavily again.

 

Toreku was at the farm house with a worried look upon his face, and a warm kettle of tea awaiting their return. When they didn't return when the storm first hit, he got very concerned for their safety and immediately started to regret allowing them that little detour. Even though they were completely drenched by the time they arrived, Sora still looked incredibly happy as he clung onto the Elezen's arm. Toreku had towels ready for them as they entered the warm cabin. Xa'kryn apologized for their tardiness as the took one of them off the stack at the door and took to drying off the singer's sopping wet hair.

 

It then that Toreku saw the extravagant nameday gift dangling from Sora's ears. He caught himself staring at them, before taking in them together as a whole. He hasn't seen Sora so happy in so long. Sora's smile momentarily faded as his focus was drawn to his manager whose face was a little askew in thought. "It's nothing." Toreku said noticing he had somewhat ruined the moment. "I was just thinking about how well they suit you."

 

Sora's smile returned as he was reminded of them, and place a free hand that had been clinging to Xa'k's chest to them. "Thank you."

 

After they spent a few more minutes towel drying themselves by the entrance they went to their separate rooms to change into some dry clothes. When Sora returned, Xa'kryn had already pulled the hot tea that Toreku had prepared to the side table beside the couch in the living area, as well as the rest of the contents of the basket. They cuddled up together on the couch under a blanket after they ate and shared the rest of the bottle of wine they had opened earlier; and a little unabashed flirting once Toreku went into another room to do some work. It did not take their hair long to dry as the couch was in front of the roaring fireplace.

 

Sora had been so into talking and flirting with Xa'k that he nearly forgot to contact his mother. She was surprised by his call, but was still chipper despite the hour. She didn't even give him time to say hello, her first question was _"How was your date?"_

 

"...Perfect." Sora replied, going slightly pink as he glanced behind him to the Elezen whom he lent up against.

 

" _So what did you do? where did you go? What made it so?"_ She was excited to hear the note of happiness in her son's voice once more, _"Tell me all the details!"_

 

It had been a very long day for Xa'kryn who fell asleep fairly easily with the warmth of the fire and Sora against him as they spooned together; put to sleep by the sound of Sora's voice as he spoke to his mother on the linkpearl and recounted the day. His right arm was draped around the arm of the couch as he slumped up against the back of it, while his left was draped around Sora's waist.

 

 _"So, Xa'k you said, right!? Tell me about him!" she begged, "I could barely see his face in that picture."_ she added with a note of disappointment in her voice. _"I want to know everything about this new boyfriend of yours. Describe him to me. All I know is what I got from the Raven, but I want to hear it in your words."_

 

Sora glances up to the sleeping face behind him, "He's a Paladin, as you know. He has short black hair, beautiful violet eyes-"

 

 _"Black hair, violet eyes? I'm starting to see a trend here, Sweetie."_ His mother kid, though Sora did not find it amusing at all.

 

"Xa'k is nothing like Tracey," Sora sighed with a very slight frown, "He's sweet, thoughtful, caring and strong," Sora added. "Tracey was those things at times... but Xa'k is far less selfish... Every single moment today, he tried to make about me..." he flushed slightly as he recalled what happened after the picnic. "... Oh, he meant to thank you for calling when you did..." he added, "It gave him the time to buy me another gift." He remembered as his hand went to his ears. "He told me I could have anything from the jewellery stand. There was only one item that caught my attention though, but it was expensive. Just before you called, I had told him there wasn't anything that I wanted, but he had already noticed the pair of High Allagan earrings, with just my shade of blue that I was drawn too, and bought them when I wasn't looking..."

 

 _"Allagan?! Really?"_ She asked with excitement. _"He really spoiled you, didn't he?"_

 

"He didn't spoil me..." Sora replied, but he knew that he had.

 

_"I'm only teasing, sweetie. You know you deserve that sort of attention, especially on your nameday. I'm glad you have someone like that to make you feel special, today."_

 

Sora's mind immediately went back to the cave they had been in, and blushed a few shades darker. "Me too..." He said with another glance up to the sleeping Paladin; with a sweet smile on his face as he gazed upon the sleeping Elezen's features. He was even more handsome without the worry lines on his face; "Hey Mom, I'm going to let you go. Xa'k fell sleep on the couch and I don't want him getting uncomfortable."

 

 

 _"Oh?"_ She found it adorable to hear. " _All right! You have a good night. I love you and I'll see the BOTH of you when you come to Gridania"_

 

"You too, Mom. I love you too." He didn't want to run the risk of disappointing her, but that would only happen if Xa'k could get the time off. After he put the pearl away he sat up properly and turned to face the sleeping Paladin. Sora lent in and placed his lips upon Xa'k's, to which he immediately awoke too. "Hey, go to bed." Sora said with a soft smile on his face. Xa'kryn furrowed his brow, and wondered just how long he had been asleep for, but for the first time in a while he felt that he did so fairly easily. Xa'kryn pulls Sora in for one last deep kiss after getting up, and complying with Sora's request.

 

Sora watch Xa'kryn return to his quarters across the hall before slipping into his own bedroom and closing the door behind him. He pulled out a different linkpearl from his pocket and put it too his ear as he crosses the room and takes a seat on his bed. He plays with his new earrings as he waits for an answer. "Lusc, did I wake you?"

 

 _"No, not at all! Happy Nameday!"_ She replied. " _I can still say that for a few more hours, right? Did you get my gift?"_  
  
"I did, yes. Thank you. It didn't last very long though..." he admitted, He did eat most of it even though he shared it with Xa'k. "It was delicious."

 

 _"How was your day?"_ She asked excitedly.

 

Sora then recounted what he had told his mother about his nameday, and how perfect Xa'k had tried to make it for him. "...I do have a rather personal question though..." Sora then added going pink as he worked up the courage. "...When you and Dem are getting, er, frisky... how do you go about giving him oral...?" He went pink, "You've told me he was well endowed before; my boyfriend is too... and even though finishing wasn't a problem, I felt like I wasn't doing enough, as I couldn't even take it in a quarter of the way... "

 

There was a pause as no doubt Luscia went dark red in the face, and tried to compose herself enough to be able to answer. _"...It's honestly been so long... but I wouldn't worry yourself too much if finishing wasn't an issue..."_ She replied, definitely mulling this over, now thinking about Dem. _"Just use your hands for the rest of it... I can't speak for all Elezen's... but for Dem it's all about tongue work on the tip."_ She couldn't believe she was actually telling Sora this. _"and remember to give your jaw a break before it starts aching..."_ She was glad no one could see her, because she was beet red.

 

"And what about... you know, all the way... How do you go about taking it all in....? I know it's different for us, as it's probably easier for girls, but... he's about twice the size of Tracey, and I imagine Dem's probably too..."  
  
  
She paused. _"Dem and I haven't... uhm."_  
  
"Really?" Sora asked, "But you've been together so long..."  
  
_"It's definitely not because we don't want too; trust me."_ She replied hastily. _"The past year and a half he's been training to become a Paladin. Anyone who joins has to take an oath of celibacy, at least until their first year as a full fledged paladin is complete. ... and technically all sexual acts are forbidden... including kissing in front of subordinates or superiors. I know it's just so trainee's don't have to abandon their training due to starting families; That's something you two needn't worry about..."_ She got sad, remembering the last time she saw him, she couldn't even kiss him goodbye due to their company. _"I already feel guilty, because Dem's bent it a few times for me, just to make me feel good..."_

 

It had never occurred to Sora that Paladin's had to take such a thing. His heart skipped a beat when he realized that Xa'k had never broke his. He had told him many times before that he was the first person he'd kissed in years, and Sora could never imagine Xa'k as the type to bed someone he couldn't kiss. "...that means he broke his for me tonight..." Sora replied. "He never told me about the oath, but I have an intuition that he never..."

 

_"Maybe it's something he feels he needn't keep anymore. You said he's been guarding you as a Paladin for years, right? It's only really meant for the first three years... the two years of training, and one year as a full fledged.."_

 

"You're really counting down the days, aren't you?" Sora said with a slight smile on his face. He could tell that that statement made his friend blush.

 

 _"... Fourteen more months to go..."_ She replied. _"If it's driving me crazy, I can only imagine it's worse for Dem..."_

 

Sora spent another few minutes talking to Luscia. He tried his best to lift her mood before going to bed, as he could tell be the tone in her voice that she was now missing him incredibly, and felt guilty for bringing him up. He only lay awake for few minutes, thinking over the day once more and playing with his earrings; his heart fluttered when he thought about Xa'kryn breaking his oath for him, and blushed deeply as he no longer had to imagine what Xa'kryn's face looked like when he fantasized about him playing below the belt; He now knew it was hotter then he had ever imagined.

 

~~~

 

 


	7. Chapter 7

~~~

 

During the next performance in Aleport Sora had, he showed off his new High Allagan earrings by wearing them on stage. It seemed as though the jeweller wasn't at all tight lipped about who had bought the most expensive piece off of him at the very fair rate of one point five million gil; which was noted in the next issue of the Harbour Herald. Though Xa'kryn said he was willing to take whatever was thrown at him, he wasn't quite ready for the sudden attention he was receiving from some of Sora's female fans, who seemed to swoon over the fact that he would get him something so extravagant; Luckily for him it was all from a distance, for the most part. The last show in Limsa was one of the best Sora has put on in a while. It was evident now to Toreku, that this new relationship was a good thing, as Sora seemed to have his lust for life back, and it showed in his performances. 

This time, the troupe travels by sea to Thanalan's Vesper bay before making their way by caravan through Horizon's edge to the great desert city of Ul'dah. They arrive through the Gate of the Sultana and are greeted by guards waiting for them that Mylla had arranged. Xa'kryn holds out a hand to Sora as he gets off the carriage and didn't let go. They walk, escorted by Immortal Flame, hand in hand to the Gladiators guild. He got some stares from his peers on the short walk up the steps of Thal. He could hear the whispering about them as he passed, but he ignored them.

As they passed they could hear a chorus of almost rhythmic shouting from down in the Colosseum below. The trainee's were going through their sword motions, and by the look of it, they had far more trainee's this year then any year previous. Sora peered over the concrete rail and watched for a moment or two as they walked by. It was the same warm up that Xa'kryn did every morning, though he did a much more accelerated version of it. Sora's cheeks went slightly red when his eyes locked onto a very tall snow haired Elezen Sora recognized as his childhood friend, Dem, who looked quite handsome in his armour Xa'kryn noticed where Sora's attention was, and raised a brow slightly. 

"Should I be jealous?" Xa'kryn said quietly to Sora

"Of what..?" the singer questioned, now feeling the heat in his face.

"I saw you looking at that trainee." He teased him. "Should I be jealous?" he asked again, 

Sora's eyes widen in surprise, and he quickly shakes his head "N-no, no, no." Sora stammered "I was looking at my friend, Dem. He's Luscia's boyfriend."

"Oh?" he smiled. "And does looking at him always make your face do that?" Xa'kryn questioned, "Your cheeks are red, what's that about?"

"O-oh, Uh-h... I... I suddenly remembered something personal Luscia told me..." he admitted quietly, "Girl talk..." talking about it made him blush even deeper, but not because he was thinking about Dem, but because he was remembering his nameday. Xa'kryn did nothing but smile; he found Sora's blushing face quite adorable.

Xa'kryn walked with Sora just past the guild to the Gold Court before seeing him off as he was escorted to the Weaver's Guild for a fitting; Toreku had requested, in very short notice, a new outfit for Sora, and was pleased to hear that it was already ready when they arrived as it was a surprise for Sora that he changed the design. Toreku stayed behind with Xa'kryn with intent to renew his contract, if at all possible for the stay in Ul'dah.

When Sora was far down the hall was when Mylla finally walked out of the guild. "O'kar," She snapped, hands on her hip and a crumpled copy of the Harbour Herald in her hand. "Debriefing, Now." She did not look too happy with him and was tapping her foot impatiently. 

Xa'kryn sighed softly, bracing himself for the coming lecture about protocol as he heeded the guild-masters request and followed her back into the Guild, with Toreku shortly behind him. 

They stepped into her office, away from everyone training in the guilds main hall. They all had noticed the unhappy look upon their guild-masters face, and went almost completely silent when they saw Xa'k following behind her. They all had heard the rumours, as it was very hard to keep any real secrets in a barracks, must less something as tantalizing as hearing one of their superiors was one to break rules about getting too close to clients while assigned to them. 

"I never in a thousand years expected this from you, You know the rules; your mentor is why we have them." She was about to let him have it, and opened her mouth to speak after doors closed behind them, before she noticed that Toreku was even there; she had been so upset. 

"Before you rip his ears off," Toreku interjected, "I think it would be prudent to give some leniency," It was then Mylla shot the Lalafell a questioning glance, "It is his first offence, is it not?"

"First offence or not, rules are rules." Mylla replied.

"Rules that you let Scy break dozens of times before you got strict." Xa'kryn retorted. "This will be my only offence."

"It does take two to tango, Mylla. I was the first to protest, trust me, but Sora seems genuinely happy for the first time in nearly a year."

"It's not just breaking the rules about getting intimate with Clientele," Mylla added. "Drawing attention to yourself by means of press is hardly the thing the Guild needs right now." She was tapping her foot and staring at Xa'kryn, somewhat ignoring the Lalafell. "The investigation is still running, with leads few and far between. We've already had the Mythril Eye try to press us about 'allowing' someone with close ties to someone accused of large scale Fratricide to get close to someone so famous."

"Then let the Mythril Eye speculate; It's not true. And I'm not Scylus. I'm not guilty by association." Xa'kryn replied. "You know the choice I'll make already, should you ask me to choose between my job and him. We both know you can't afford to do something like that right now. I will not stop seeing him for anyone, Mylla."

"I'm just as worried about you, Xa'k," Mylla said before Toreku interjected again, 

"If you reprimand him for this, or pull him from the contract, which I'm going to formally request be extended for the stay in Ul'dah, you're just letting the Eye know that you do feel that Scylus is guilty of what he is accused." 

""You'd really have him on, despite all the negative press this will net you in Ul'dah?" She questioned. "You do know your client will be dragged into this mess, don't you?" 

"And I'll take care of it should that come to pass." Toreku replied firmly. "Mylla, this is more than just about Sora as a performer. This is the happiest I have seen him in months and I will not let anything or anyone ruin that. I have seen them together and they can it seems to me that they will be able to handle anything it thrown at them; together." 

"We were both aware of the consequences, we decided we'd persevere, no matter what was thrown at us." 

"It seems unfair, to me, for you to punish him as dealing with the press in the first place was punishment enough," The Lalafell added, "and splitting them up will only make matters worse when it comes to the Eye; not only for Sora and Xa'k, but for the guild. I know they'll try to spin it in their favour If you're upset now, over the Harbour Herald, imagine the title in the Eye should you even attempt to intervene. They're going to look for drama, no matter what, and it's honestly best for the guild for you to ignore it, and let us handle it should anything get out of control."

Mylla seemed to very reluctantly agree with Toreku, but she still did not like that she again, was bending the rules for one individual yet again. She formally went over Xa'kryn's debriefing with Toreku still in the room rather then sent him back to his regiment, and agreed with Toreku's request to extend his contract; but after this, he would have to go back to regular duties.

"O'kar." Mylla said as Xa'kryn was about to leave. "Please stick to the rest of the rules."

"I am not Scylus." he replied simply, before exiting the guild masters office.

"He has been." Toreku added. "You do know he's kept to his oath, right?" Xa'kryn heard just when he was closing the door behind him. That sentence was the ultimate test of his conditioning, as more then one other had heard that statement quite clearly. He had to be careful not to blush as he walk past a few trainees and veterans as he exited, as he had broken it, on Sora's nameday. What he did for Sora was considered 'bending the rules', but what Sora did for him was definitely breaking them. He wasn't held to his oath anymore, though kept it out of sheer lack of interest in anyone else. What he had done was break guild rules about dating clients, and shortly the entire guild will have heard about it despite Mylla's wish for him to keep anything more then hand holding from the public eye, as per guild regulations.

Xa'kryn walked down to the weaver's guild after he left the guild. A few people were whispering once more as he passed through the golden court, but he pay them no mind. It seemed everyone in the city was curious about what was printed in the Raven and the Herald. Sora had just changed back into his regular clothes and was going over some very slight adjustments with the guild-master when Xa'kryn walked in. It especially perked Xa'kryn's interest to hear that the bottoms were a little too tight and "leave little to the imagination," as Sora put it. He was slightly disappointed that he missed it. Sora blushes softly as Xa'kryn approaches, sure that he heard his cheeky quip about the pants. The guild-master had just finished retaking Sora's measurements and quickly turned to go over a few things with his apprentices. 

"...I wasn't expecting to see you so soon." Sora said softly as he gently touched Xa'kryn's chest as he got real close, his cheeks were still a rosy colour. Sora was sure that Xa'kryn had heard his quip about the pants, and it is difficult to not blush when his inseam was getting measured.

"I was not expecting to be free so soon." He replied as he wrapped his arm around Sora's side, and takes one of Sora's hands in his and holds it to his chest. He had already forewarned him that they couldn't do any kissing in public, but the rules state nothing about standing close. "Toreku helped to cut my lecture short." 

"I am glad he is fighting for us and not against us now..." Sora replied as he lent against the tall Elezen slightly. 

"He finally sees that you're happy, and that's all he cares about." he replied, "Though, it did take him a little too long too really see it."

The guild-master turned back to them after walking the short distance to the work station, and told them that the alterations to Sora's pants should be ready by tomorrow morning. Sora apologized for the inconvenience, but he guild-master did not mind and merely smiled at the two; He knew that Toreku merely forgot to factor in the fact that Sora is no longer depressed, and has put on an inch or two back on by simply being happy again.

They leave the weaver's guild hand in hand. They headed down Pearl Lane instead of going back to the Golden Court, where it was slightly less crowded. Sora was really excited about his new outfit, and was just recanting the details to Xa'k and going over how well it matched Xa'kryn's gift when they passed the alleyway into the Sapphire Avenue Exchange. Sora was a little curious as he noticed Xa'kryn nod very slightly at a very tall sandy haired Lalafell that caught his eyes. He was dressed in fine robes that very much suited the monocle he sported. The Lalafell had been talking to another tall Elezen who had long teal hair that was pulled back behind his head, and he too was dressed in finery, but not of Eorzea. His golden eyes furrow behind the frames on his face, and paused for a moment as he glanced to where his companions attention had been drawn. "...Are you one of the De Borel bastards?" He asked aloud to which the Lalafell averted his gaze and shook his head. 

"..." Xa'kryn paused for very strong moment. "What of it?"

"I mean nothing by it." he abruptly added, "...I used to apprentice under your mother, and it was hard not to see her in you."

"Then you should have asked if I was Elise's son instead," Xa'kryn replied, now aware he had said that a little shortly, "That is not my name anymore, I took hers when I left... and don't refer to me as a bastard; This is not Isghard, you need not reiterate it to anyone to save faith. It doesn't matter in Eorzea whether my parents were married or not." He was now aware of the fact that this must be his Lalafell friend's mentor, and though at the moment he did not give him a great first impression, because of his company he'll let it slide, "Next time we me please refer to me as Xa'kryn O'kar, we can talk more about home then if you like," he added before glancing back to Sora and gently tugging on his hand as he continued walking again. He nodded once more to the Lalafell, "Riri," he said in acknowledgement of his friend who was standing there, and obviously uncomfortable. Sora could just hear as they walked in the Lalafell pipe up. "You're so lucky he's with his new beau, or he would have tore a strip out of you for calling him that; That is one can of worms you do not want to open, my friend." 

"Beau?" The Elezen seemed momentarily confused. 

"You do know that the rumour is true, right?" Koriri reiterated. 

Xa'k was just thinking that Koriri deserved a smack upside the head for repeating it when they arrived at their destination. There were already more Immortal Flames guards waiting in the adventurures guild. Momodi smiled at Xa'kryn as they walked in, and tried hard not to express her outward giddiness at the sight of one of her well known patrons finally looking happy. 

"Oh! Xa'kryn, honey, I nearly forgot." Momodi said as she waddled out from behind the counter with something in her hand and Xa'kryn paused to see what it was. "A nameday gift, since I don't know when I'll properly see you next."

Xa'kryn blushed very slightly as he took the bottle of Ishgardian wine from her hand. "Dee, You know you didn't have too."

"But I wanted too. Oh, and take this one too, on the house." She reached behind the counter and pulled out a bottle of Yagdu, and she smirked in the singer's direction. "I'm still positive you're the only person in Ul'dah that has the ability to stomach the Ishgardian stuff."

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome." Momodi smiled as she handed Xa'kryn the key to the room they were staying in. After getting off the elevator they walked down the hall to the large suite at the back. Momodi bids them farewell, perhaps a little too giddily; the way they held hands on the way up was simply too much for her. She simply adored the fact that Xa'kryn had found himself someone, and was a little too happy for him. 

The room was quite large and gilded in many shades of sand and gold and adorned with beautiful paintings of Thanalan. There was a large side table as you entered and a chair behind a small desk in the corner that faced the room. The bed and a large portion of the back was hidden by a large golden folding divider, intricately sculpted with crushed red velvet under the frame. The only other room in the hotel suite was the bathroom and a very small kitchenette with a table. There were already glasses upon the table and a finely decorated silver bucket full of ice shards awaiting room for two bottles. As Xa'kryn placed the bottles in the shards, Sora sat on the bed. the singer bit his lip slightly at he stare at the back of the Elezen who bent over the table slightly as it was so low for him. "...How come you didn't tell me about your nameday...?" He felt sort of childish asking, as he also did not tell Xa'k when his was.

Xa'kryn simply smiled, "She gave it to me weeks too early. It's not until the last day of this month," he grabbed two goblets and used a couple of shards to temper the metal as to cool the wine and poured a half goblet from each, "and I could have asked you the same thing." he added as he turned with one in each hand. 

Sora paused for a moment as he took the goblet he was given, "You knew why..." he replied as the goblet touched his lips; to his relief it was actually his wine in his cup, and not the Ishgardian stuff.

"and you know why," he replied with a slight smile. "It's a day that just reminds me of home, and who I can't go back too, so I've taken to disregarding the day entirely, and I usually try to forget it exists; though, there are some who like to remind me when I least expect it..."" 

"... I understand that completely..." Sora replied, frowning slightly at Xa'k's unwavering smile."Did you... not want to..?" he asked as he watched him take not a sip from his goblet, but swallowed it in one mouthful.

"I think there is cause to celebrate it this year..." Xa'kryn replied as he placed the goblet back down on the table, and walked back over to the bed and took a seat beside the singer. 

Sora abandoned his now empty goblet to the bedside table, before placing his hands to Xa'k's chest and leaning in ever closer. "I'll do my best to try to make it a memorable one." he replied with a sweet smile before pulling himself close enough to lock lips with the tall Elezen, who's breath still smelled of that strong wine. intermingled with the sweet taste from his own, it was actually quite an enjoyable taste. The fact that they had to keep it behind closed doors almost made it more enjoyable when they were finally alone. After several minutes of unbridled kissing, Sora inched his face away momentarily. "Thank you... for finding me worthy of breaking your oath..." He whispered in a somewhat sultry tone as he pulled himself even closer and onto the paladin's lap blushing deeply as he did so. 

"...I never told you about that." Xa'kryn replied, he blushed a fair pink colour that Sora could see even though he was so close. Xa'kryn's arms wrapped tighter around Sora's waist. 

"but you did, didn't you?" 

"I did..." He replied, raising one hand to Sora's cheek, "How did you know about that?" he asked, still pink in the face.

"My friend Dem is still in training to become a paladin, and very much held to it," Sora replied, "but you aren't... and you already told me I was the first you've kissed in years... and when I kissed you the first time, I distinctly remember you telling me to 'ignore it'." he said pressing himself closer, the kissing they had done earlier had riled both of them up, and they both could feel it between them. "What made you let me break an oath you've held for seven years..?" Sora asked with a smirk.

"You're such a caring, giving person; thinking of me when the day was supposed to be about you. How could I deny you when you were wanting and willing without being asked? More over, I was ready; and I wanted it to be you."

"Good answer." Sora beamed as he wrapped his arm around Xa'kryn's shoulder and lent in to kiss him once more when they were interrupted. This time at least there was a knock on the door before they were disturbed, and Toreku came in to go over some of the finer details of their stay in Ul'dah. Sora took to sitting on Xa'kryn's lap for most of it, and the two continued to drink their gift of wine while Toreku and Sora over the set list, the concert locations and the charity event Toreku had been planning for a while.

~~

Over the next couple of days Toreku had made arrangements for the locations of all the concerts with all concerned parties and even managed to arrange with the guild to use the Colosseum as the staging area for Sora's closing concert. 

As Sora was being brought up to the Royal Promenade to check out the location of the charity event that Toreku had arranged was when Xa'kryn was pulled aside and requested to visit the Guild Master of the Gladiator's guild. He furrowed his brow, and reluctantly complied after requesting supplemental guards. As he got to the door that lead to the stairs downward, he passed Negega, who seemed positively glowing. She beamed as she saw him and wrapped his arms around his shoulders and gave him a tight, but quick hug. He furrows his brow. "You're in a good mood..."

"I am?" She questioned, "I suppose I am. I'm finally able to stop travelling for a few weeks." she beamed before reaching into her very large side-bag "Here, For you. A nameday gift." He, again, furrowed his brow before she added, "This one isn't from me, and it's nothing fancy, but I know you'll love it anyway." She added before pulling an envelope out of a book that she merely put it in to make sure it didn't get damaged.

"What's this?" It was just an envelope, with nothing written on the outside. 

"Just a letter," She stated simply before smirking slightly, "From Aymeric."

His heart did nearly feel like it dropped from his chest when he heard that, but Neg's was quick to distract him, and remind him of the task at hand, "Mylla's still waiting, you know."

"R-right.." he held the envelope in his hands for a few more seconds before tucking it away in the best pocket of his armour, next too the Astrologian's card he carried with him, and headed down the stairs, to the guild. 

Sora furrowed a brow. He was curious as to the look on Xa'kryn's face when she handed him the letter. He had watched the exchange, but had been slightly too far to hear all of it as Toreku had been going over some of the finer set details at the time; though he honestly didn't register half of what the Lalafell was saying. Toreku could clearly see this and rolled his eyes and added, "Oh, and you'll strip down on stage." when going over the finer details of the finale. 

Sora, not listening, replied "Okay..." His eyes, and his mind clearly elsewhere as the Paladin leave the room.

The Lalafell shakes his head and sighs. He reaches up and gently by firmly taps the singer on the back of the head with the clipboard he had been using. "Focus~!"

"What? I said okay." Sora replied snapping his attention back to Toreku.

"You agreed to strip..." Toreku said bluntly.

"Huh?" Sora blushed slightly. 

"What's wrong?" Toreku said. "Obviously something is troubling you if you're just flat out not listening too any of the things I was saying. What is it? Maybe I can help."

"It's just..." Sora breathed, "...quite a few people now have given Xa'k his nameday gift early... I know it's not until the end of the month, and I have a little time left, I feel that I don't quite know him as well as he knows me, so I'm at a loss as to what to get him. I don't think I can top his gift for me..." he replied honestly, subconsciously fondling his earrings. 

Toreku smiled sweetly, hearing his client's words; "I think you already have, just by being with him. Sora, this is all new to you and of course Xa'k would know you better, as he has been watching over you for years. It's okay that you don't know, that's what dating is all about. However if you are concerned about it, all I can suggest is giving something from the heart."

Sora blushed slightly, "...The only thing I'm good at is composing..." he said more to himself as he tried to come up with something.

"Now you know that is not true, but that could be a step in the right direction if you're at a loss for anything else."

"I'm sure Xa'kky will be happy with whatever you give him." Negega beamed as she walked up. She had just caught the tail end of that conversation. "Though, if you're really at a loss, I can try to help with that...." She added. 

"Well... You are his sister, mind telling me some of the things he likes? And I feel real dumb for having to ask..."

Upon hearing that Xa'kryn had already told Sora that she was family to him she blushed ever so slightly. "Don't. He's super privative sometimes. There is lots he doesn't like to talk about, and doesn't like too elude to any wants he might actually have." She replied, "I only know because for the past five years, he's been like a brother too me, and I've got a knack for picking up on body language... usually. Honestly, the fact that he prefers men just wasn't on my radar it; but he didn't seem to like anybody. I only found out very recently the reason he left Ishgard; he'd shut down the conversation every time I'd ask. I think he was afraid we'd abandon him, but Eorzea s not like Ishgard at all. Likely you know about his favourite wine from home, as Momodi already told me she gave it to him already, and it had barely arrived. His favourite dishes are simple, Ala Mhigan Curry, Aldgoat stew, or any stew really, and Snurbleberry Tarts are his favourite desert. He loves piano music," She smiled, knowing that lots of Sora's songs featured beautiful scores, "Last year, I got him an orchestreon from Isghard, that I had help in picking out." She said pulling out the book she had out earlier, "I do have some other things I was saving for him, but I'm going to wait a little while before giving them to him." She opened the book to a page that had photos pressed inside. She lowered the book so that Sora could see. It was like looking at a very baby-faced Xa'kryn as he gazed upon the man in the photo. He was wearing nearly the same Ishgardian armour that Xa'k wore, but in darker tones of blues instead of Abyssal like Xa'kryn's. His eyes were pure as ice, and he stood in front of a large, elegant stone building that looked as though it rivalled the Sanctum of the Twelve with stained glass murals. 

"This is his brother..."

"Aymeric." She smiled, "He doesn't have any pictures of him; what's painted on his card is the closest he's got." she added with a sigh, "I think he'll enjoy getting it; especially accompanying the letter from Aymeric I just gave him. I just need to find a proper frame for them. I'm going to go to the goldsmiths later on."

"Them?" Sora questioned.

"There is another," She replied, "Of when they were much younger that I made a copy of." This photo was much older, and in grey-scale, but you could clearly tell which brother was which even though they were identical just by the slight shade of their eyes. They were very young, and stood close together, with Aymeric's arms around his brothers waist and Xa'kryn had his arm around him in return. Beside them was their mother, whom it was most definite that they took after, she had beautiful long black hair, and had a hand on each of her son's shoulders. There were two other young men in the photo, one in their twenties, another the twins age, the elder had a hand on the boys shoulder, and it was clear the boy had long silver hair even in the grey-scale It took Sora a second, but he recognized the elder man as the Elezen they had run into the other day in Pearl Lane. It was very clear by the odd cropping that someone was intentionally taken out of the image as all you saw was an arm and elbow of some fine white robes.

"...who was cut from the picture?"

"Ah that's, uhmm," She said, lowering her voice, "Their father Thorodan." she said very quietly; That name caught Toreku's attention, and he look up from what he was reading and half looked at the Miqo'te in disbelief; Sora's attention was on the photograph, so he didn't notice. "Xa'kky doesn't like to be reminded of him; and you know why by the look on your face." She added glancing to Sora who had a frown.

"...he vaguely told me about the tribunal... yes." He replied, "H-how did you get these?"

She beamed, "I'm one of the rare few that are able to trade with the Ishgardians... and only because I am friends with one of the very, very few foreigners that live there. I'm not strictly allowed to enter, mind, but Lucia comes to meet me by the gates if I don't have Kori with me..." She suddenly looked a little lost in thought for a moment or two before continuing, "Kori was brought in just before they closed the state, so he and his master are the rare exception, they are allowed to enter, and leave, nearly as they please... I had Kori speak with Lucia, who told Aymeric my request, and complied... I wasn't expecting to actually get a letter from Aymeric for Xa'k, but lucky for me he was curious as to whom was actually requesting the photos... I honestly think I hurt him a little when I said that my uncle had adopted Xa'k, and he's my brother... as my uncle raised me..." She added, "I finally got to speak with him though, which was nice." 

"And Xa'k is okay with you having contact with him?" 

"He knows I go to Ishgard occasionally; he knew it was bound to happen... I didn't do it intentionally... I honestly meant to get Lucia to sneak me the photos... once he found out that the Xa'k we were talking about was his brother Xa'kryn, he volunteered to write him something... Xa'k occasionally sends Aymeric letters but has never had anywhere to send one back too. He didn't know he was in Ul'dah, or he actually became a Paladin. When he had sent someone to look before, Xa'k was in Ala Mhigo with my uncle."

"Ala Mhigo..."

"...mean something to you?" Negega perked up,

Sora shook his head very slightly, "My father lives there..." Sora wore a slight frown after this.

Toreku cleared his throat to get the attention of the two that were chatting, "I hate to interrupt, but we do have limited time here, as it is the Sultana's private ballroom." He also knew that Sora missed his father incredibly; who hasn't shown up for year twice yearly visits for the past couple of years, and it was a subject that would likely sour his mood. 

"We'll have to chat more later..." Negega smiled, closing the book and putting it away gently. 

"...how about over dinner one night soon? Sora said hesitantly, "You... Kori, Xa'k and I?" I'd very much like to better know the people who are important to Xa'k..." Sora only assumed that 'Kori' and 'Riri' were the same person.

"That sounds lovely! I would love that." Negega beamed as Toreku glanced back to the two, "We'll make the arrangements afterwards though..." she added then lowered her voice slightly, "I know how cranky Lala can get when ignored for two long." she chuckled.

~~


	8. Chapter 8

~~

Xa'kryn had headed downstairs to the guild, though now he had a letter burning a hole in his pocket. he did get the armour as a gift from him a few months ago, but he was told that Aymeric did not know the third or fourth parties transferring goods. He sighed as he entered the Guild Master's office. This time she wore a frown on he face as he entered. "You requested my presence?" 

"I did;" She sighed, "I've some bad news..." she said with a very sombre tone, "another squad has gone silent. This time Paglth'an." She shook her head. "We've lost too many major squad leaders recently, and with Itoshiki going silent, that makes the number up too four. I know you're enjoying your cushy position, but I am going to have to put you on call; and it's highly likely that I will have to send you out. Itoshiki was supposed to be returning, then heading a supply mission to Gyr Abania, one that desperately needs to be filled."

Xa'kryn frowned at the news. He and Itoshiki were friendly, so it was disheartening to hear that she never returned. "Well, there goes my request for a few weeks off;"

"I'm afraid no one is getting any time off anytime soon." she sighed, it seemed she too could use a break. She went over with him some of the finer details of missing squadrons with him; they seemed to be randomly targeted, as they all seem to disappear from different locations, and there are always a few fatalities, where the rest simply vanish; Mylla surmises some sort of prisoner of war camp, somewhere, but where exactly, she hasn't been able to determine. She just hoped they weren't getting dragged back to the Garlean Empire, and was now wondering about spies in her midst. "So we're clear; You'll have to drop you're job for the Troupe at a moments notice, so make sure you're packed and ready to go."

"That part is clear, Mylla." Xa'kryn replied, "I do have one request though;" To which she perked a brow, "When I leave I would like two assigned in my place; Sora has a childhood friend training here, and Elezen named Dem; I would much rather have someone that Sora trusts watching him in my stead. Corporal Destrega would be a good choice for the second." 

Mylla took a moment to mull it over; "Alright," she replied, "I know Destrega is up too the task; but are you sure about Dem?"

"I'm fairly sure Dem will do all he can to protect a friend he's known since childhood." Xa'kryn replied, "Destrega will do because I will ask. He's always been curious about this posting; He'll learn that it isn't exactly the vacation he thinks it is." Though, he is giving him the easier of the rotation, being in their home city; it's much easier to give a dozen people their guard rotation when you are actually in charge, instead of some outsider coming in to bark orders at them

Mylla agreed to have that arranged, and wrote it down in the ledger. Xa'kryn wasn't exactly happy about the change of duties, but it wasn't all around unexpected. He had told Sora that it was a possibility, and they had agreed already to work through the distance when it happened. Toreku, and Sora were just leaving as he returned to The Royal Promenade, followed shortly by Negega. Sora and Negs, both, could tell that something was up with Xa'kryn as they approached. 

"...Please don't tell me my vacation's being cut short." Negs said with a slight frown as she looked up too her brother. 

"Not quiet yet, but very soon, possibly. They put me on call, and had me arrange some replacements just in case. I'm not likely to get a vacation at all;" He replied as he got closer, "And you can always say 'No.', but you know I was going to ask you and Riri to join anyway..."

Sora couldn't hide the frown on his face, "I guess my mother will have to interrogate you another time, then." he joked, trying to lighten his own mood more then anyone else.

"We'll arrange for longer then just dinner to make up for missing the trip to Gridania this time." Xa'kryn replied as he took one of Sora's hands in his and pulled him a little closer, fighting the urge to kiss his knuckles. 

"Speaking of dinner!" Negs said suddenly, beaming. "Kori is busy for the next couple of days, and so are you, so this weekend?" She asked, "Barring someone getting called in, it can still be arranged."

Xa'kryn furrowed his brow at the sudden collaboration between these two, but didn't altogether mind the idea; he had brought it up in the first place, about Sora and Negega getting to know each other a little better. "That works for me, if it works for you."

"I'll be sure to keep it as clear as I can." Sora said with a smile, and a glance towards his Manager who was still writing notes in his ledger. 

Xa'kryn and Sora take their leave, and instead of heading into the Quicksand like Sora thought they would, they headed into western Thanalan. Sora found himself brought to the Goblet. He had only ever saw it from a distance. The dusting of gold from the sand made the whole place feel warm and welcoming and the running water made one nearly forget that they were in the desert until until they turned their gaze to the horizon. He was lead up to a home very near the massive water fall. Xa'kryn fumbled with the lock for only a moment before letting the singer in and following him very shortly behind. There were many pictures along the hall they had entered that were clearly of Scylus and his family and a toddler Negega was featured in one of them. Many were much older and had been on the walls for years, and clearly of Ala Mhigo. There were more above the mantle, but these included Xa'kryn from a few years ago, and Negega. Though shorter, Scylus had his arm around his nieces shoulder and his hand on Xa'kryn's head, almost as if to tuck him into the photo. 

Xa'kryn entered the archway on the left, and sighed as he looked around the kitchen. "Maybe coming home was a bad idea..." Xa'k said out loud as he locked the door behind them. "Negs was gone longer then I expected..."

Sora was overcome with a sudden nervousness that he couldn't shake when he realized that Xa'kryn and he were alone at Xa'kryn's place. "Well, it's not so bad that you couldn't hire someone to have it done in a day... it does look like its mostly just dust." he replied as he glanced around the half wall from the kitchen into the living and dining area. 

It was relatively dust free in places where it was obvious someone had stayed on occasion, like the kitchen and dining room being cleared partially in spots, but there were certain objects that stood out, like the chair kitty-corner to the fire was covered in a thick layer of dust, where the love seat which was directly in front of it looked fairly clean. 

"I suppose you're right. If we are all going to have dinner, to have it is here is the better choice." He said as he crossed the living room and past the fire place which was lined with more photographs. "Riri has an apartment, but isn't one to usually let someone into his space and it's smaller and easier to clean, which is why I assume she's taken to staying there mostly..." "I honestly, came here mostly to drop something off..." he said as he slowly He made his way too a short hallway past the end of the dining room table. 

"Aren't you going to read it?" Sora asks bluntly; he assumed what he wanted to drop off was the letter from his brother, and the perplexed look Xa'kryn shot back to him confirmed that he was correct. "I can give you a couple minutes alone if you need."

"I- uh..." He stuttered, he had a hand on the handle to his room when he paused, "The last thing I would want is to be alone." He replied as he let the door too his bedroom swing open, "Honestly, I am a little nervous about even opening it..." he added with a glance back to Sora before stepping into his dusty room. It was actually a rather bare room, with white walls, and very few knickknacks, 

"What's there to be nervous about?"

"I have sent him a half dozen letters since I've left... and aside from one gift, I've never gotten a reply..."

A soft smile played on his face; "I am sure there is a good reason. Maybe the moogles lost them or he didn't know where to send them." He took hold of Xa'kryn's hand; "Whatever it says, I am sure it isn't has bad as you may have it in your head."

"He's never had a place to send them too." He replied honestly as he took it out of his vest pocket, "Frankly, if he did try through proper channels, it would be burned before it left Ishgard if they knew it was for me..." He sighed as he stared at the wax seal and his family crest on the back of it for a moment and took a seat on the dust covered bed. The envelope itself was blank otherwise. "...You're probably right... I guess I'm just afraid he's mad... He wouldn't have been told the truth..."

 

"There's only one way to find out..." he tightened the grip on his hand, as if to pass some strength to him; "Do you want to open it together?"

Xa'kryn could only nod in his nervousness. Sora took a seat beside him as he helped him open the envelope. The paper itself was high quality stationary that also adorned his families crest. His heart kind of sink as he read the text over. His brother was never very good at writing anything on his own unless it was task related and tended to ramble, especially personal letters. Even with his beautiful cursive, it was kind of adorable to see that that part hadn't changed. He went over his recent promotion, and how he hoped the outfit made it too him undamaged and that he hoped that it fit. He went over a little of his life in Ishgard, and his work, though when he got to the detail about his second hand Lucia, and her connection with the transport was when Xa'kryn's pensive look turned to a frown. Aymeric knew that Xa'kryn was formally adopted by the Neel's, even if he does still use their mother's name. He wrote that he was happy for him, but the tiny droplet shaped smudges stated otherwise and Xa'kryn found his heart aching with remorse. His feeling of regret however was subsided, when he was reminded of a reason not too with a small squeeze of the warm hand that was still in his. He carefully placed the letter down on the envelope beside him, and reached a hand out quickly too Sora's cheek, who seemed didn't like the frown on the Elezen's face, and closed the gap between them. "Thank you..." he breathed as he broke it. "For giving me the courage to read it." . 

A small smile formed on Sora's lips and with his free hand he reached out to Xa'k's cheek in return and hold his forehead to his; "Any time."

Xa'kryn held the kiss for a moment or two before breaking it. He carefully picked up the letter and replaced it in the envelope before stashing it away in the locked drawer on his dresser.

As they returned to the city they where greeted by some unhappy guards who had been looking for them as Xa'kryn's detour took longer than expected. 

On their way back to the Quicksand Xa'kryn stopped in sapphire alley and hired a couple of ladies to clean up his home in the goblet. It was very clear to Sora that these women were flirting with Xa'kryn, who outright ignored it or acted oblivious. 

~~


	9. Chapter 9

~~

 

A couple of days pass. Sora got his outfit from the Weavers guild but refused to model it for Xa'kryn until he could show people at the charity event. He wanted it to be a surprise, not only to the children, but to Xa'kryn as well. They planned this whole event for the orphans of Ala Mhigo, and for those who were displaced during the war. Sora empathized with them deeply, as he too has had family displaced because of it. He and his sister were supposed to have been born in Ala Mhigo The funding raising event was set up in the form of a raffle and a talent contest amongst other things. No one, aside from those who set it up knew that Sora himself would be there to close the charity event before it turned into a giant banquet, where the proceeds went directly to orphans and educational programs for all youth in Ul'dah. The charity event was open to every one, young and old, but more than half of the crowd were under the age of fifteen.

 

Sora await nervously in the back, peek at the venue through a slit in the curtain. He was wrapped in a long trench coat that hid his new outfit from any one who by chance glimpsed him. It was nearly time for the surprise and he was always extremely nervous around children, who were quick to idolize him. Xa'kryn gave him a reassuring kiss backstage as the announcer closed the raffles and announcing the winners of the contest and handing prizes came to a close. Sora took one last deep breath before striding into the stage and leaving the robe behind. He was glad there were extra guard to the front of the stage, as his presence had riled up the crowd more than even he had anticipated. It was clear that none of the children knew that he was coming. It was the first time he was showcasing his new outfit. It perfectly matched the phosphorescent blue and the metallic black of the ancient earrings he was gifted and all the tones of blue matched his natural shade of hair.

 

He absolutely nailed the show, and he closed without a hitch. Toreku was really quite impressed with the way Sora had rebounded. That has to have been the best show of the year, and it was due to his elevated mood. Xa'kryn got to watch it all from the side. He awaited to stage right, away from the view of the crowd, to escort him back out to the banquet hall. This was all after Sora had a few minutes of cooling down; though that entailed heating up a little before hand. What was meant to be a congratulatory kiss now that they were alone turned into several minutes of making out; Sora was keen on making the kiss deeper and pressing himself against the Paladin who was up against the wall. It made Xa'kryn wonder if Sora always got this hot after a performance.

 

"Dem, stand watch out here for a moment, I'll be back with Sora." the Lalafell manager said as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. Toreku was rather glad to have asked the guards to wait outside the door to the dressing room. It was only then that Sora had stopped what he was doing, and blushed a little darker and pressed himself up against the Paladin a bit more in a way to conceal his arousal between them.

 

"Please don't forget where you are." Toreku stated, "You've yet to mingle with the upper-class guests of the evening." he shot a look to Xa'kryn whose arms were wrapped around the singer's waist. It suddenly occurred to Toreku that the after show distractions Sora had been engaged in in the previous years might not have been entirely all on Tracey like he originally thought.

 

Sora blushed a dark red; he had momentarily forgotten, and was slightly disappointed that he had to stop. It was another minute before he was comfortable enough to pries himself from Xa'kryn's front. Xa'kryn was quick to get one last kiss before Toreku threw the door open and ushered the singer forward.

 

The lights had dimmed to give the dining room more atmosphere, and they had dropped the banners to their original low height. Anyone even slightly over 6 foot would have to adjust their path as to avoid getting hit with drapery in the head. They had lit the high chandelier which bedazzled the room with multi coloured shards of light from the rare crystals that adorned it.

They made their way around the room starting at one end, as not too miss anyone. It was about forty minutes in just as they made it to the dining room table when he heard and felt a link pearl go off in his breast pocket, which brought him back to Sora's attention, as he had been mingling with the crowd with Xa'kryn close by.

 

"I've got to take this..." he said with an apathetic look to Sora, who smiled and nodded. Xa'kryn motioned for Cor to swap him places and headed back to the dressing room for a little bit more clarity. The call was important. Mylla had just got word about the missing lieutenant, who had been recovered and rushed to Gridania straight to the Conjurer's Guild for medical treatment, she was alive, but just barely and in a coma. She was informing him that his duties to the guild were about to take up a lot more of his time, and that Cor was to be taking up his guard duties. Mylla herself was heading out right away, and he has until the end of the banquet before he is to report in and get ready to cover for the guild Master herself. While she spoke and went over the nuance of the case Itoshiki was on, Xa'kryn had his eyes on Sora the whole time from where he stand just inside the door frame.

 

It was when Sora, surrounded by a few guards, meandered across the ballroom to the far corner to greet the last of the upper-class guests, including Raubahn, that Xa'kryn saw the leader of the Knights of San'Doria stride across the room. When Sora was in between groups of guests was then that Horrid took his moment and cornered the singer.

 

"You look lovely tonight." horrid said with what he thought was a seductive tone, but it turned out to be just grating on the singer's ears.

 

"Thank you." the singer replied. He really did not want to talk to Horrid, as much as he helped set up this event. Something about him makes Sora uncomfortable; especially the awkward compliments. He reluctantly chatted with him for a few minutes, accepted the compliments on his set. They mostly conversed about the event itself, though Sora was inching ever more far away the closer Horrid seemed to lean in. This was apparent too Dem, who had been posted not far from where Sora was standing, and it was very clear to everyone aside from this Highlander that Sora was keen to leave. Horrid reaches out at one point and touches the fabric of Sora's sleeve; "What kind of fabric is this?"

 

"Um..." Sora furrowed his brow at the odd question and gently pulled his arm from the others grasp. "Taffeta and Voile..." He replied with a quick glance towards the room far across the ballroom, where he momentarily lock eyes with Xa'kryn, who was still talking on his linkpearl.

 

"It's nice, but i bet your skin is softer." Horrid added before his attention was brought away from the singer to a tall snow haired Elezen who strode up beside them, and tapped out the other guard before nonchalantly placing a hand on Sora's shoulder. It seemed to erk Horrid that Sora did not try to withdraw himself from this Elezen like he had him.  
  


"Sora," The Elezen spoke with a smile.

 

"Dem," Sora breathed and threw his arms around him. "It feels like I haven't seen you in forever."

  
"About a year..." He replied as he returned the hug, and held it for a beat longer then he usually would; It was clear to him that even this displeased the man Sora had been speaking with. "but hey, Toreku was looking for you." He said as he held out and elbow for Sora to grasp, "Shall I escort you to him?" Xa'kryn watched from a distance as Sora nod and smiled as he took the arm of a tall Elezen; all he could see clearly was his shoulder length snow white hair, and surmised that that was the childhood friend Sora pointed out a week prior.

 

Dem escorted him across the dining hall and through a door at the back that lead further into the palace. They head into the servants dining area and Dem pulls out a seat for him. He waits for Sora to sit down before taking a seat of his own at the corner of the table beside him. "Are you alright?"

 

"I am now." Sora replied honestly, still sort of creeped out by just the thought of that man touching him again. "Thank you..."

 

Dem asked one of the servants to get Sora a glass of water and asked another to pass a message onto Toreku of where they were hold out. "...so where was your boyfriend....?" Dem asked after a moment of silence

 

Sora sighed as he replied. "He's taking a call... He's never been contacted by linkpearl before, so it must be important." He was frowning slightly, "He's been put on call, which could mean a variety of things and might have to swap for a replacement guard..."

 

"I'm one of the people who are on notice for that job, so at least you'll have a friend." this seemed to alleviate a little of Sora's stress but did not completely remove the frown from his face. Sora was given the water that was requested and the two sat and talked for a moment and caught up; though they mostly talked about Luscia, and her recent endeavour raising chocobos. Dem heard the sound of a familiar voice talking to the guards as they made their way up the hall, and the Elezen got to his feet. "I'll see you soon." He said with a smile and gave his friend one more comforting hug. It was only when the Lalafell entered the room with his escort did Dem take his leave and return to his post.

 

Xa'kryn glimpsed the back of his head just as the snow haired Elezen was leaving, and made his way across the long banquet hall to the door where he had just exited. He was relieved when he saw Sora in the servants dining hall, and was glad his intuition was correct in assuming that the snow haired Elezen had just been with the singer. Sora got up from his seat as soon as he saw him and wrapped his arms around his waist and Xa'kryn returned a desperately needed hug.

 

"What happened out there...?" Toreku asked with a concerned look upon his face.

 

"...That Horrid guy," He replied, arms still wrapped tightly around Xa'k's waist. "Something is really not right with him. Who goes up to someone, touches their clothing and then eludes to touching their body?"

 

"Creeps who don't know how to read people, or what boundaries are, or those who feel entitled to get close because they're invested in and helped organize events such as these." Xa'kryn stated which netted him a funny look from Toreku, "The latter happens often in noble houses." He hadn't let go of the singer's waist, and didn't care there were a few other guards there. "I'm very glad your friend had the quick thinking to step in, I only regret I could not intervene myself." he added.

 

"I'll change the roster, so I will have either of you at my disposal when I need too. Mylla already agreed to allow Dem to be assigned to me, I might as well take advantage of him while we're here." He replied, "But for now, I'll personally see too it that the rest of your night it uninterrupted by the likes of him; the General is still waiting to greet you, so I fear I must have you go back."  
  
"And Mylla can shove her rules where the sun don't shine for tonight," Xa'kryn added, releasing his grip only to hold onto Sora's hand. "We'll return only when you're ready."

 

"Now that you're back, I'm ready," Sora replied.

 

Xa'kryn accompanied Sora back out to the banquet hall and the two bee-lined for the corner where General Raubahn was awaiting to greet them. Toreku had gone the other direction with the intent to preoccupy the leader of the Knights of San D'oria for the rest of the evening.

 

The rest of the evening went by uninterrupted as Toreku seemed to be making a very good diversion. Sora was far more relaxed and able to enjoy himself once more with Xa'kryn by his side. Xa'kryn had forgone with all the rules, as promised, and stood very close to the singer, and had a hand either grasping onto Sora's or placed around the singer's waist the entire time. He remain stoic under the gaze of the General of the Immortal Flame who only seem to smirk at the breech in protocol.

 

As the evening wound down, Sora and Xa'k take their leave after the first wave of patrons had already returned home to retire for the night. Escorted by other guards they returned to the Gladiator's guild; Sora watched as Xa'kryn picked up a couple of files, and a ring full of keys off the Guild Master, who looked like she was dressed and ready to leave at this late hour.

 

Once he had things in order they returned to the Quicksand, and to Sora's hotel suite. Two guards remained outside the door as Sora and Xa'kryn entered. With the door closed and locked behind them, Xa'k momentarily placed his acquired things down on the side table before pulling the singer close too him with a hand to the waist. He caresses his cheek softly with the other and doing what he had wanted to do half the night, which was to kiss away any shudder-some feeling the singer might have lingering from the very unwanted pass made at him earlier. If he had it his way, they would continue from where they had left off in the dressing area, as that was the most he had gotten of him since they arrived in Ul'dah. He also wanted to get in as much time with him as he could, as starting tomorrow, he would be doing Guild work instead of guarding for the troupe. To his surprise Sora made the kiss deeper, and tugged them both to the bed and used the force of his weight to make the paladin sit on the mattress, so he could climb into his lap. Xa'kryn's hands wander up the singer's shirt and caresses the soft skin below as the kiss deepens and they lose themselves in each other's senses until they both stiffened between them. In the moment they broke only to catch their breath did Sora finally whisper softly, "...stay with me tonight...?" as he wrapped his arms tighter around the paladin's shoulder.

 

"Of Course," Xa'kryn replied reaching one hand to the side of Sora's face and brushing the hair from his eyes, "Anything you wish..." He added before pulling the singer back into the kiss. He was glad to spend as much time with Sora as he could. It would be easier to get to the guild from the Quicksand, anyway.

 

They continued their nightly routine as always after they pries themselves from one another. There was a knock at the door as they were brought in some food from the banquet, as each of them had very little time to enjoy any of the food. After finishing their meal, Sora disappeared to the bathroom and returned wearing bright blue silk pyjamas, and Xa'k, meanwhile, had changed out of this dress armour jacket and into a bland t-shirt, and was in just his boxers; He had left most of his clothes at home, where he had been staying since it was tidied and had nothing else on hand. When it came to climbing into bed, they both could tell that their nervousness was mutual. Sora blushed deeply as he got into the bed under the covers and Xa'kryn slid in behind him. They both had the epiphany that this was the first time they had ever shared a bed with someone else beside their previous partners. In embarrassment, Sora turn to his side in hopes that the feeling of nervousness would pass. Xa'kryn was used to sleeping in the field and used his arm to prop his head up underneath the pillow. He wraps his arm other around Sora's waist, and hug him tight to his chest for a moment or two before snaking his fingers into Sora's free hand and interlocking them with his own. Sora returned the soft grip on his hand as he relaxed against the Paladin. After an hour of laying awake, although, in silence, Sora turned from where he had been laying, and faced the the dark haired Elezen instead. Xa'kryn found it quite easy to fall asleep with Sora's warm arms wrapped around his waist, and his head gently using him as a pillow.

 

Xa'kryn got up so early that it was still dark across the desert, and, reluctantly, he priesed himself from the sleeping singer and got up to get ready for his shift. He tried to be quiet, but it was impossible to soften the sound of his getting dressed entirely or the sound of the room divider moving back into position. Xa'kryn turned the desk lamp on low as he sat down and went over some of the files he had taken from Mylla's office, which included the roster for today. He was relieved to see that Dem wasn't a name on his list, which meant Mylla had already taken care of assigning him to Toreku's Troupe. He got most of his morning paper work just as dawn broke. He placed it all back into it's leather-bound folder before gingerly making his way back to the bedside and sat down on the edge. He meant to wake the singer, to tell him he was leaving, only to find his eyes were already open. "Hey," Xa'kryn breathed softly. He frowned slightly at the dark circles he saw around the singers eyes. . "I'm sorry I woke you." He lent in and caressed the singers cheeks

  
Sora shook his head, "Don't worry, you didn't; I woke shortly before you did..." He fibbed slightly, he had been awake longer then that.

 

"I've got to go..." Xa'kryn said as he lent in close and brushed noses with the singer, "and I couldn't leave without saying goodbye." he kissed him softly and held it for a moment or two. "I might not see you again today... Are you sure you'll be alright with the change in guard?"

 

"If it's Dem, I'll be okay," Sora replied, "We're heading out to the Golden Bazaar, to set up for a show, so I won't be in the city..."

 

"Toreku has a pearl to contact me, if he needs too, as I have all of Mylla's, so you can reach me in an emergency." Xa'kryn gave Sora one last deep kiss before having to part ways with Sora for more than just a few hours for the first time in couple of months. He quietly closed and locked the door behind him as he left, getting a funny look from the two guards who were stationed there, who weren't there the night previous, and had no idea that Major O'kar was there.

 

 

Sora waited a few minutes after Xa'kryn left to grab a hold of his side bag which was over by the desk, and pulled out the larger of the three sorts of vials. The others were for his attacks, and for when he'd get really ill, but this one, was a very potent sleeping aide. Sora sighed softly before uncorking it and took a very large swig of it. He put it back quickly and climbed back into bed; within minutes, the singer was in a deep, uninterrupted, dreamless sleep.

 

~~~

 

The next better part of a week passes very slowly for the pair, who for the first time where separated. Xa'kryn's mornings were kept very busy with mountains of paper work, and when he wasn't behind the desk, he was out in the fields, hands on training the recruits from after noon until dusk; which was far longer then they had been training previously. By the end of the day, not only were his cadet's exhausted, so was he; once he passed out behind the desk and did not even make it back too the Goblet to his own bed, but in his eyes the progress they made was worth it.

 

Sora was preoccupied on the other side of Thanalan with his shows. He was relieved that there wasn't any sign of that Horrid guy, and he was very glad to have Dem with him in place Xa'kryn; at least he had someone to talk too in the evenings besides Toreku. The other guards were confused as to how the new guy was quickly able to get close enough to the singer to share a tent with him, and somewhat jealous.

 

Xa'kryn was very relieved to see Mylla return early one morning, when he was just nearing the bottom of his stack of papers. She briefly caught him up on Itoshiki's status. She was well enough to transport, and regained consciousness half way through the trip and was able to describe a little of what had happened before her vision went dark. He finished the rest of the paperwork before being dismissed for the day. He could hear a slight chorus of relief as the trainee's in the Colosseum below were informed that their regular instructor was back. Just as the Paladin approached the Quicksand, he saw his sister waving in the distance, with Koriri just behind her, who for some reason was avoiding his gaze. She seemed bubbly and excited, and informed him that she had just returned from Sora's last performance, and had passed the caravan packing up on their way back, and that Sora was returning to Ul'dah by the late afternoon. Xa'kryn suggested that the dinner should be that evening then, since he now had the night free, and does not know how much longer it would last. Xa'kryn parted ways with his sister, and after a brief stop in the Quicksand to leave a message for Sora, he made his way back home to prepare for that night.

 

Koriri sighed as Xa'kryn left, "what have you obligated us too this time?"

 

"Oh, shush it, Kori, it's just dinner." she replied before continuing on with their walk to the goldsmiths guild. "it'll be fine."

 

".... For you maybe..." he sighed.

 

Koriri was pacing just out side of his bedroom door as Negega got ready. It had taken him mere moments, but it always seemed to take her longer,and of late, even longer.

 

When she finally was ready, she was wearing a very beautiful, yet tight, short gown that matched the ice white of her hair and tail. Kori blushed slightly when he saw her, but then furrows his brow.

 

"What?" she asked, knowing what minor thing was worrying him, "Relax, it's fine." though that was no comfort too the Lalafell halfling.

 

At one point in their short dusk lit walk Koriri grabs a hold of her hand and stops her for a moment. "Negs... I know this is selfish of me, but..." he grips only the Miqo'te's hand gently but firmly, "Please don't tell him yet."

 

"... You're that worried about it, huh?" she smiled softly,

 

"I don't need to give him another reason to hate me."

 

"He doesn't hate you, if he did, you wouldn't be in the squad. He's just protective of me,that's all. Things will be a little different now that he's got someone else to distract him, trust me."

 

Koriri furrows his brow in disbelief before sighing, "Alright, if you are so sure of that." he replied before continuing to walk at a slow pace from his apartment to the house by the windmill.

 

Sora, escorted by Dem, got off the carriage at the gates of Thal. Xa'kryn was not in the Colosseum like Sora had been expecting him to be, nor in what he could see of the guild as he passed.

They walked their way to the Quicksand, with a few others in tow.

When Momodi called to Sora in the hall and said that Xa'kryn left him a message, his heart nearly stopped. He momentarily thought that he had had to leave town already. He was relieved to find out that not only that was not the case, only to then be overcome by nervousness. He did not expect dinner with Xa'kryn and his sister would happen the night he arrived.

 

Dem escorted Sora upstairs, and was let into the suite while the others stayed outside. Dem took a seat on the love seat and waited for the singer as he quickly bathed and got changed into something nice, but also very simple; Like most of his wardrobe, he was dressed in blues, a linen blouse with a vest in a slightly darker shade, Capri pants with some open toed sandals.

 

"... What do you think?" Sora asked looking at Dem through the mirror.

 

"I think you look good." Dem replied, catching his gaze in the reflection. "Are you nervous?" he asked with a slight smile. He knew the answer to that, which was a resounding yes.

 

"... Very." he replied with a soft sigh. "I've been to family dinners before... but because I barely know them, and I've never formally been introduced to one of them, I can't seem to get my nervousness under control, and that's slowly leading to anxiety..."

 

In that time, Dem had gotten up from his seat and slowly made his way over to the singer. "like I told you before, you will be fine." he replied placing a hand on his friends shoulder, still making eye contact through the mirror. "He is just as nervous as you are."

 

After several reassuring words and a little bit of friendly teasing from Dem, Sora felt confident enough to leave his room and make way to the goblet. His anxiety his an all time high and he reached the door and had to await a moment for someone to answer. It had almost been a week without seeing Xa'kryn, and awaiting to see him now, in this moment, trumped the anxiety he had about meeting his new boyfriend's sister's beau.

 

"You'll do fine." Dem said as he smiles and places a hand to his friends shoulder reassuringly and he watches him hesitate to knock on the door. "Just remember why you're doing this."

 

"Right." Sora breathed before sighing softly and finally rapping his knuckles against the big oaken door. The few seconds were he could hear somebody coming on the other side of the door made his anxiety skyrocket. Very much to his surprise, he was greeted by the very tall sandy haired Lalafell whose gaze drift from Sora to the Elezen behind him and seem to glance around for a split second for any other guards. They exchanged an awkward hello, and it was clear that they were both really quite nervous to be there. Koriri was just about to open his mouth to welcome the singer inside, a hand pushed him back slightly as Negega rushed forward to greet him first instead. "Sora!" the female Miqo'te exclaimed and pulled him into a quick hug. "Come in, Come in."

 

"I-uh..." Sora stuttered before he was cut off.  
  
"We won't bite, though Kori looks like he might." she added with a smirk, which got her a frown from the Lalafell.

 

"Have fun." Dem said with a smile while waving off his friend as he was pulled inside by the Miqo'te.

 

Once inside, Sora glanced through the archway to the dining room and saw the table all set, but no one there, and the chair in the corner by the fire was now clean, but also empty. He walked out of the hall and into the kitchen that was separate from the other rooms only by a couple of half walls, and made his way into the kitchen.

 

"Must you always tease?" Koriri started,

 

"Yes, I must;" She smirked as she sat down on the bench in the hall and watched the singer enter the house proper, "How else are we supposed to break the tension?"

 

"There are better ways then that... I've asked you--"  
  
"uh-uh-uh." She tutted and stopped him by placing a hand to his lips, "You've set enough rules; I've chosen two requests of yours that I will follow." She smirked, "I could choose to not heed any, you know." she added as she draped her hands to his shoulders, "Teasing is a means of endearment, Kori, relax."

 

Through the window of the half wall that lead onto one of the kitchen counters, he could see the back of Xa'kryn's torso, who seemed to have his arms preoccupied whisking something vigorously, and almost seemed to be sighing at the sound of his sister and Kori bickering in the hallway. He crept up beside him, and placed a hand gently too his back. "Is there anything I can do to help?" Sora asked with a soft smile.

 

Even though he knew his was coming, and heard his sister calling his name, he still wasn't expecting to be abruptly touched which caused him to jump enough for him to slightly lose grip on the mixing bowl filled with cream he was beating, enough to get his hand slightly messy. "... mind handing me the sugar?" He asked, "There," he pointed to the pre-measured bowl just slightly out or reach. Sora glanced over his shoulder, at the preoccupied couple in the hallway before tentatively licking the whipped cream mess off of Xa'kryn's thumb; He was blushing ever so slightly as he did so, which Xa'kryn found incredibly hot. If only there were no other people in the house, he would abandon his project and take him in the kitchen after that display if he could. Both had a smirk on their face as Sora slowly poured the sugar for him as he whisked, though it was clear both of them had very impure thoughts because of it.

 

Xa'kryn pulled Sora in by the jaw with his tongue cleaned hand and kissed him deeply before continuing to whisk. Kori and Negega returned to the living room; she seemed to take pleasure in watching him blush by getting really close to him in front of company; crawling into his lap instead of sitting beside him like he expected, and nearly turned him as crimson as the flame in the fireplace.

 

Sora helped Xa'kryn in the kitchen while he finished preparing for dessert, but really, they just took the time to flirt in relative privacy; the view from the living room was partially obscured by the counters and cupboards of the half wall. Negega and Koriri helped Sora set up the cutler for the table while Xa'kryn removed the dishes from the the oven and placed them one by one on the table, with eventual help from Koriri, after he pulled out a seat each for Sora and Negega direct opposite the table from each other.  
  
When the food was all set, they could really see how much work Xa'kryn had put into the meal. Whole roasted Canard in an blood orange glaze, twice baked mashed Popoto with fresh steamed vegetables and a pot of gravy and home baked buns with butter on the side, Sachertorte and Pumpkin Pie for dessert with hand made whipped cream.

 

"You've out done yourself this time, Xa'kky." Negega beamed as Koriri took his seat at the end of the table, "It all smells so delicious."

 

"I couldn't agree more." Sora added with a slight smirk and his eyes towards the chef, "It all looks so beautiful. You must enjoy the kitchen if you keep pulling out meals like this."

 

"I do enjoy it." He replied with a smile, "Go ahead and plate up", he added before heading back to the kitchen to fetch one more thing.  
  


"He's cooked for you before?" She asked excitedly.

 

"Breakfast for my nameday." Sora replied pulling a slice of Canard breast from the severing dish, and everyone started plating themselves.

 

"Lucky," She replied, "It's rare for Xa'kky to cook all out like this. Holidays, and family dinners when we're all together. Maybe you'll have a bit more incentive too do it more often now." She added glancing to her brother who just reentered the room with a bottle of Sora's favourite wine that had been chilling on ice, trying not to go a slight pink in the cheeks.

 

"Perhaps." he replied as he poured Sora the first glass from the bottle.

 

"Oh, none for me, thanks." Negega said as Xa'kryn had started pouring the wine into the glass in front of her.

 

"You've never been one to turn down a drink especially if it's free." Xa'kryn replied with a furrowed brow.

 

"I haven't been feeling well lately. I caught a nasty parasite when I was on the road." she replied as he finished the pour. "I'm doing much better now, but alcohol counters the potion I'm taking..." she said with a slight smile. Kori was quick to reach across the table when Xa'kryn had continued to the next glass and move it to his placement, after of course he took a big mouthful.

 

"I'll get you some tea instead then." Xa'kryn replied as he stood and moved back to the kitchen to pour some of the readily made tea he had brewing to accompany dessert.

 

"Being sick whilst travelling is no fun..." Sora said softly, "I can relate to that..."

 

"You did mention being ill when you were younger in our interview... Are you still sick? You didn't really go into detail about it; but then again, I was pressing you for ... more sensitive personal information..." she replied, "I remember you telling me that singing was hard when you were starting out? does that mean it's your lungs?"

 

"You're not working, are you?" Xa'kryn asked as he returned with the tea cup and saucer, though Koriri was looking at her with the same look as Xa'kryn had, one of slight concern.

 

"No, no, no." She replied quickly. "The Raven is seasonal; they've plenty of other people to gather their gossip. I'm merely asking for my own curiosity.. trying to gauge just how much Sora and your first love have in common."  
  
"First--?" Sora started with a very confused look upon his face as he glanced too Xa'kryn.  
  
"She's talking about Aymeric; and just that." He assured him as he placed the tea in front of her.

 

"Must you always stir the pot?" Koriri asked rolling his eyes to which Negega just smirked.

 

Sora just smiled softly at the bickering before replying; "My lungs are the worst part, but I have a low immune system. So at the drop of a hat I can get bed ridden. What would be a simple case of sniffles to you can turn into an all out flu for me. I was told to not push beyond my means and rest whenever I should feel something come on, but..." he trailed off, slightly embarrassed; "If it's so close to a show, I sort of lie to put the show on and not have to cancel. As I have said my fans drive me and I would feel terrible if I disappointed them in any way." He looked back into her eyes and sighed; "I wish that I had been truthful on that day we were to have our original meet and greet..." to which he got a slightly confused look. "I had been ill for a couple of days, and trying to hide it... "

 

"Oh! I thought that was just a fib you told to get away from me." she said with a smirk. "I apologize.. but I do have a bit of a penchant for, what did you call it Kori...?" She asked grinning to which was greeted a furrowed brow over top of his goblet, and he was nearly outright glaring at her through his monocle and long blond bangs.

 

"...I call it pulling baby-hair," he replied, "she likes to find out your most vulnerable weakness, and prod it, just to see what it does, no matter now much like waxing the underside of a Miqo'te's tail."  
  


"I kind of know that now... and I consider that night to be both a blessing and a curse. Because I did go through with the performance I over did it and combined with being so upset after seeing you fawning all over Xa'k, I wound up having a lung seizure..." Sora replied going slightly pink. Kori perked a brow at this, to which she merely smirked when she caught his glance.

 

"It wasn't my intention to hurt you..." she replied honestly, "...I just wanted to see if you even showed a hint of jealousy if I got close to him... and also because I knew it would make him squirm and there was nothing he could do about it. "  
  
"The perfect scenario." Kori said sarcastically raising the goblet to his lips.  
  
"Right?!" she replied, quite seriously, beaming, to which he rolled his eyes. "...those sounded like the curse, though... and awfully familiar," she added glancing to her brother and back, "what was the blessing?"

 

"I followed him, and found him in time, " Xa'kryn replied taking a seat at the end of the table, directly across from Koriri, "and Yes, I used the same thing as I did for 'Meric; ." he added, causing her to grin wildly.

 

"You failed to mention you broke down a door to get to me." Sora chuckled to which perked Negega's interest.

 

"Nothing is going to stop me from getting to you if you're in harms way, definitely not some fraction of a tree."

 

 

They all seemed to wait for Xa'k to break into his plate first before they all follow suit. Conversation over dinner had definitely quieted down as everyone was busy clearing their plates. When they were finished, Sora adjusted in his seat, beaming as he turned his gaze to the chef; "That was wonderful. I don't think I have ever had something as good as this."

 

"Thank you." Xa'kryn's cheeks flushed slightly at the compliment to which his sister beamed at his expression.

 

"It's so nice to see you letting down your walls..." She said, which made him flush a few shades darker as he stood from his seat and began gathering the dirty dishes to bring into the kitchen. Koriri gathered the plate that was in front of her, and started to help Xa'kryn with the dishes she turned her attention to Sora; "I feel like I should apologize to you again."

 

"For what?" he asked rather puzzled.

 

"About the article in the Raven-" she was about to continue, but stopped seeing Sora shake his head.

 

"Again something I consider a blessing and a curse. Putting words in my mouth so to speak, especially when it had to do with him, was not something I appreciated. But again, had I not gotten upset, Xa'k wouldn't have followed me and kissed me and we wouldn't be where we are now." he gave his boyfriend another smile. He then leaned forward and placed his elbows on the tabled and gently threaded the fingers of his hands in front of himself as he gazed into Negega's eyes; "You are a very gift writer and despite our first two encounters with you, you should have no ulterior motives now that Xa'k and I are together. You are easy to talk to and you genuinely seem to care with my personal life. So, how about an exclusive with me?"

 

Her eyes went wide at the offer, as did his other two dinner companions."Really?!"

 

"Are you sure about this?" Xa'kryn asked, walking back into the dining area with two plates of dessert; "Shouldn't you wait to at least talk to Toreku about it?"

 

He shook his head; "He's been kind of pushing for something like this, especially about my being sick. He feels that it is something that some fans can relate to. When he first mentioned it to me I really loathed it, as you know it's something I don't like talking about. But..." he smiled softly at her; "I got to thinking about our first interview and how I said that I wanted my fans to know there is nothing they can't do. This is my way of showing that; by reaching out to them with my story and hopefully give them strength and courage to share theirs. So what do you say?"

 

"What else IS there to say besides YES?!" She replied as Koriri came back into view with their portions of the dessert that Xa'kryn had made. They sat in silence for the first couple of minutes as everyone enjoyed their dessert.

 

"Again, you've outdone yourself." Negega beamed as she seemed to melt into each bite she took of the Sachertorte that was in front of her. "How did you make this BETTER then last time?!" She asked.

 

"It's the same recipe as last time," Xa'k replied furrowing his brow slightly at , "Perhaps, slightly less jam."  
  
"It's perfect!" she replied before taking another bite.

 

"I agree." Sora added, "This pumpkin pie is perfectly balanced."

 

"Thank you." Xa'k replied,

 

Koriri got up and he stood beside Negega while he portioned out a small slice of pumpkin pie, and proceeded to serve her first. He furrowed his brow as he watch her turn her nose away from it after taking a small bite, and it was usually one of her favourites. She reached across the table to the tea she had forgotten about, and was quite visibly distraught by the taste of it. At this point Koriri moved the plate that was in front of her to his placement and disappeared into the kitchen.

 

"What's wrong?" Xa'kryn asked, noticing the sour face.

 

"... The tea tastes too sweet to me, with a very bitter aftertaste..." She replied,

 

"It's the same way you always take it though...." Xa'kryn replied, glancing back into the kitchen to where the halfling had gone for a moment to see him pulling something out of his jacket before snapping his attention back to his sister,

 

"I've lightened up on the sugar a bit lately, I probably just left it too long..." she replied, "My taste buds must be changing, lots of things taste off."

 

"Here." Kori said as he stirred something into a glass of grape juice, which slowly turned a lighter colour. "It's the same as this morning,"

 

"Thank you," she said taking the glass, and sipping it with no problems.

 

"...what did you give her?" Xa'kryn asked out of curiosity,

 

"Minerals, mixed with an a lighter version of the antibiotic i was giving her on the road." Kori replied, though, he averted his gaze from Xa'k to Negs and he watched her as she drank.

 

Again, Koriri and Xa'kryn were the ones who cleaned up the dishes, while Sora and Negega chatted. They had moved to the living room and were sitting on the couch in front of the fire, talking about Sora's previous concert, and the Charity event that was before that.

 

Xa'kryn took a few more moments returning then Koriri did. When the Lalafell return he took a seat closer to the fire in Scylus's chair and Negega took that opportunity to slip herself into his lap, opening a seat for when Xa'kryn returned with three more glasses of wine. He handed one to Koriri, who was red in the face, before taking a seat in the spot that Negs had left open. Sora slid himself down the few inches to slip into the spot where Xa'kryn's arm draped around the couch. Negega had just been commenting on the fact that Xa'kryn broke protocol that night, and that she had saw that his arm was unabashedly on the singers waist while they were talking to the General.

 

"Very, very unlike you to break protocol of any kind."  
  
"I had good reason." Xa'kryn said, to which she just smirked.

 

"Indeed;" She replied, "That Leader of the San'Dorian Knights seems to have trouble reading people. Even before we went to meet up with you in Gridania, He couldn't tell Toreku was uncomfortable with some of his line of questioning." She added, "I saw you across the room while I was chatting with Merlwyb So, who was that White Knight I saw rescue you?" Negega asked, glancing too her brother for half a second before maintaining eye contact with the singer. "He seemed to have perfect timing."

 

Sora chuckled, "That was my friend, Dem and he is Luscia's 'white knight'. Our parents were all in the same Free Company so we all grew up together."

 

"He dropped him off at the house tonight," Koriri added to which Negega smirked; as always Kori had been her shadow, and had seen.

 

"Tell me more!" She beamed,  
  
"I would be happy to talk about them, but..." He trailed off which made her furrow her brow in confusion. "Let's save for the exclusive as they are a big part of my life, and I've been asked many times about my life growing up. They've been like family to me..."

 

"A Free Company family!" she exclaimed excitedly, "I can't wait to hear this! We're going to have to set this up for as soon as possible."

 

"But you said you're not working for the Raven." Kori said softly,

 

"That doesn't mean I can't write something in advance." She replied, brushing the hair from his eyes, and momentarily touching on his third eye, which he immediately shook his head to cover again.

 

Sora chuckled once more; "Sounds good to me and I am sure they will agree to speak with you as well."

 

They had wound down the evening with Negega telling Sora some stories about Xa'kryn, and a couple of the missions that they had been on. He was especially intrigued by the way they had met. Negega had left on a personal mission without telling her uncle, who, worried, immediately set off to find her, with his new apprentice with him. They scoured most of Gyr Abania before finding she had been captured by slavers, and it was Xa'kryn, who personally saved her, and three other women from half a dozen raiders, while her uncle took on the leader and the other half.

 

When it was time for Negs and Kori to leave, Sora and Xa'k each gave her a hug, and Kori and Sora merely shook hands, while Xa'kryn teasingly tousle Koriri's hair as they left, to which he got the usual glare. Xa'kryn smiled as he waved them off before shutting the door, and finally being left completely alone with his blue haired beau.

 

After the door was locked behind them they moved back to the couch in front of the fireplace and returned to the goblets they had abandoned on the side table.

 

Sora lent in and locked lips with the Elezen, "Thank you for the wonderful evening," he said before sitting down beside him and draping one leg over his.

 

"No, Thank you. The night went smoother then I expected." Xa'kryn said placing left arm around Sora's shoulder.

 

"You had some doubts about tonight?" Sora asked,

 

"A few... I knew that you and Negs would get along; I was more concerned about them. He was amazingly tolerant tonight, and the bickering was kept to a minimum." Xa'kryn replied, "He's a little hot-headed, and doesn't take her teasing nearly as well as he did tonight."

 

"Oh?" Said Sora, "Isn't that a good thing though...? It seemed like he wanted to make a good impression."

 

"Maybe." Xa'k replied, "He's never seemed to care what I think though, so if he was, I have a feeling that it was for you. I have been gone for a few months, maybe he's softened a bit..."

 

"Could be.." He ran his fingers lightly through Xa'kryn's hair; "I have to envy them a little. Even if he did seem embarrassed or something. I wanted so badly to get that close to you, but I refrained."

 

"You weren't the only one." He replied, "Honestly, that's the closest I've seen them in a while... I know she did that to put him way outside of his comfort zone. Though he seemed to tolerate it this time, and didn't try to pull away; He is a very private person. Their relationship isn't like ours... They're..." He paused trying to find a word for it, but Sora chimed in nearly immediately.  
  


"Fuck buddies?" Sora asked blatantly.

 

"I was going to say 'Friends with benefits', but yes... That is exactly what they are..." He replied. " I have always had a feeling that he was ... a little more attached then he ever let on, he always seemed withdrawn about it. Because of how she is with people she likes, and his hard upbringing, they've always had a very strained relationship. I've learned not to get involved." he said honestly, "She takes things to far, and he takes things to hard. I've stopped counting how many times they've fought, and made up after the first six."

 

"But why bring that kind of friend to dinner?" Sora asked, "I think they definitely have more of a couple vibe. Or was that for my benefit?"

 

"You think so?' Xa'kryn furrowed a brow as he thought a moment, "Maybe it was for both of our benefit..." Xa'kryn replied taking a sip of the wine. "He knows I disapprove of him flaking out after every minor fight. I know she can be abrasive, but he can be stubborn and is sometimes so pretentious, you'd think he was full-blood."

 

"What do you mean by full-blood?" Sora asked with a slightly confused look upon his face.

 

"He's half Garlean." He replied, "That's why he's a foot taller then most Lalafell."

 

"oh... no wonder he didn't like her messing around with his hair. But even so, isn't it possible they are trying to have a real relationship?" Sora asked,

 

"It's possible...She seemed rather happy tonight..." Xa'kryn replied, "And if they are, I'm honestly happy for them, so long as she doesn't come crying to me as often as she has been, because he knows I'll probably hurt him if he does."

 

"Maybe that's why he didn't really say two words to you at dinner?" Sora chuckled,

 

"The threat of physical violence against him has never stopped him from running his mouth before..." Xa'kryn replied placing the goblet down, "The silence bothered me more then if he had just stuck to being a pompous ass."

 

Sora placed his on the coffee table before finally straddled him, like he had really wanted too earlier, "Well... if it's noise you want..." He said as he blushed very dark read and lent in and kissed him deeply while he wrapped his arms around his shoulders. He had been dying to get close to him all night. He kind of wish he could be as bold as Negega had been in front of company, and had gotten a little closer, but he felt he and Koriri held the same disposition as that. Xa'kryn caress the singers back as he wrapped his arms around him and returned the kiss. It did not take long for things to get heated between the Paladin and the singer as both had been yearning for one another since they were separated. Xa'kryn had forced Sora's hips closer to his before reclining the singer back against the sofa and forcing himself on top of him and between his legs. They could feel each other's stiffening masses between them as their tongues entwine. Xa'kryn grip Sora's hip as to feel every throb against him. A familiar chime goes off in Sora's pocket and he sigh momentarily before deciding to ignore it and pulling the Paladin deeper into the kiss, while it alights and sounds half a dozen more times before giving up. Sora gingerly undoes the buttons of Xa'kryn's dress shirt and glides his hands down the Elezen's collar and over his pecks, blushing deeply as he finds himself throbbing hard once more as his fingers brush his chiselled core. . Xa'kryn broke the kiss and softly started kissing the nape of his neck for a moment or two before he pulls away slightly to take in a sight he wanted to burn into his memory. The visage of the blushing singer under him was turn on enough on its own, it was compounded by his wandering hands. His grips upon Sora's hips tightened, and his fingers glide just under the hem of his shorts and caressed his inner thigh. Merely watching the singer shiver under his caress was a huge turn on, and even more so was the dark red of his face as his fingers grazed just under the paladin's belt-line As their noses and their lips briskly touch once more, another chime goes off. This time, it was not one of Sora's.  
  
"Damn it," Xa'kryn sighed, resting his forehead against Sora's for a moment before slowly lifting his weight up, "I have t-"  
  
"I know," Sora said softly in reply. Xa'kryn had to stand to readjust himself, and took the linkpearl out of his breast pocket and held it to his ear before sitting back down. Sora didn't adjust how he was on the couch, and merely sit up and rest against the back of couch, huddling his knees a little closer to himself. It was evident when they prised themselves off one another just how turned on they both had been.

 

"O'kar here." He answered. By the look on Xa'kryn's face as he answered the pearl and put it to his ear, it was not a social call. Xa'kryn grabbed his goblet off the table once more, and drained the contents into his mouth in one gulp as he listened.  
  
Sora spent the time studying the concerned look upon Xa'kryn's face, wondering exactly what it was that he was being told. He only surmised that it was not indeed good news.

 

"That isn't long to prepare, Mylla." Xa'kryn replied to something he was told as he put the empty goblet back down, "I can do one or the other, not both." he added as he turn back too the singer and placed his hand back to his knee and caressed his soft skin, "Jenlyn is back in two days, He can take south east; He's better trained at dealing with the pirates anyway." by the long gap between his next reply, she didn't quite seem happy with this arrangement, but reluctantly agreed once he reminded her that Jenlyn was returning with another guild master from Limsa Lominsa. After what felt like forever, he was finally able to end the call and sigh very audibly and rubbed his forehead as if to relieve some tension..

 

Sora reached his arm out and took hold of Xa'kryn's hand after hearing him sigh. There were no words he could really say, he knew that soon his love would be leaving. He smiled faintly as if try to hide that he didn't want him to leave. "How long do you have?" He finally asked.

 

"I leave in four days..." He replied with a sombre tone; He definitely did not want to leave now that Sora just got back.

 

The smile slowly faded, "That's not a lot of time..." he whispered quietly. After a moment he adverted his gaze, his thumb glides along his knuckles before slowly withdrawing his hand from Xa'k's; "I guess I should go, so you can get some rest..." he said attempting to get up from his seat.

 

Xa'kryn stopped Sora's by gripping his hand with his other and tugging him back too him firmly enough to pull him onto his lap. "Because it's not a lot of time is precisely why I don't want you to go." He replied bluntly, "If you think I'll be able to sleep without spending every remaining second with you, you're mistaken." He replied as he placed his other hand too the singer's back and held him tight against him. "...stay with me tonight...?"

 

Sora found his heart pounding hard in his chest as their closeness was regained once more and he found himself wrapping his arm around Xa'kryn's shoulder to stabilize himself. The smile that returned to the singers face was almost an outright smirk. He blushed as his right hand softly grazed the still exposed skin of the Paladin's pecks once more. "I was hoping you'd ask..." He breathed before closing the gap between their lips once more.

 

Their kissing inevitably escalated and during their blind lust they somehow ended up in Xa'kryn's bedroom. Xa'kryn had laying the singer out on the queen size bed, pinning his arms above his head as he moved in between his legs. Sora's hands run down they open gap between Xa'kryn's dress shirt that he had undone most of the way earlier and finish the final three buttons down by Xa'kryn's Belt-line with a bashful smirk upon his face. Sora fingers the button Xa'kryn's pants as Xa'kryn's hands room up the singer shirt caressing his peck with one hand and his shoulder blades with the other.

Sora let out a small gasp as Xa'kryn's fingers mimic his and started undoing the belt of Sora's shorts. They were both blushing in embarrassment and excitement as they reached out and touched each other's painfully hard members and exposed one another nearly simultaneously. They removed their own shirts before they locked one other in a deep tongue entwined kiss as their grip on one another tightens and they began to pleasure the other. Xa'kryn, and the one point rolls them both to the side, to make it easier on one another. Sora finds himself kicking off not only Xa'kryn's pants but his own too and they press each other close enough for skin contact but not enough to hinder what they were doing. Sora had to fight several waves of pleasure as it seemed Xa'kryn already knew how to teasingly stimulate him just right. Sora stops and breaks the kiss only to slide down the length of the Paladin's torso and gingerly lick at the painful hard cock. He was still slightly intimidated by it, but he remembered what Luscia had told him about focusing on the tip. Xa'kryn smirked slightly through red cheeks. Before Sora could get too started, sat up slightly and pulled Sora's hips back to him with a pull from his thigh so he could be giving as well as receiving He didn't know what was hotter, Sora's bashful face, the way he throbbed hard when he did that, or the noise that escaped his lips as he let his tongue dry graze the singer's member. Sora's gingerly licks the tip of the huge Elezen's cock before taking it into his mouth. He tested himself with every other stroke, trying to see just how many inches he could take. He was surprised that Xa'kryn was able to hold out long as he had, and they were inevitably left in a little bit of sticky mess, even after both of them swallowed each other's climax. They were both blushing and embarrassed in the afterglow of it all. Xa'kryn took the initiative and pulled Sora into a deep kiss, that was still mingled with each of their tastes too relieve any feeling of awkwardness from the moment. They slept peacefully and uninterrupted for the rest of the night in each other's arms skin against skin as neither of them bothered to get up to find any clothes to put on afterwards.

 

~~~

 

Demresinaux stopped off at the guild to inform the leader that Sora was safe and in Xa'k's care. To his surprise, Mylla had given him the rest of the night off as he was technically still on hire for the troupe. Momodi smiled as he entered the Quicksand, and unhesitantly gave him the key, as his childhood friend gave him permission to stay in his room while he was away.

He opened the door and even though he had been in there multiple times this week, he was very shocked at how spacious it really was. Due to living in the barraks for so long, he felt a little envious of his Sora for getting to have sleeping arrangements like this.

The snow haired Elezen sat on the love seat and took out a linkpearl, his smile became larger as he held it to his ear as he waited for an answer.

_"Hello?"_

"Hi hun," he said, the smile still tugging at his lips as he heard his girlfriend's voice; "how are you?"

 _"Dem!"_ she exclaimed; _"I'm well, how are you? I wasn't expecting you to call, at least not for another week or so."_

"You can probably thank Sora for that. He's at his boyfriend's house having dinner and meeting part of his family."

She gasped hearing that; _"What? How is he? Did you get to see his boyfriend?"_

Dem laughed hearing how excited she was for their friend; "He's well. You should have seen him when he saw the note that was left for him. He was so nervous, it was adorable. I think I saw him look at three, maybe four outfits before he finally got dressed."

_"Awww, how sweet!"_

"As for seeing his boyfriend, I have not." He paused after hearing a small sigh; "And I am doing fine. It's nice to have some privacy for a change..." he paused again as he leaned back; "I miss you."

_"I miss you too... You have no idea how much I am counting down the days..."_

"I know how that feels. But just another week or so and I'll be home for a bit."

The two chatted well into the night, from talking about his training, how guarding for Sora was to her taking care of the chocobos, how her mother was doing and how obsessive Sora's mother was becoming on meeting her son's new beau.

Dem glanced over to the linkpearl that he had set down during the conversation and chuckled to himself as it hadn't made the slightest peep; "I guess he is spending the night."

_"Was Sora supposed to contact you?"_

"Only if he needed an escourt, though I am sure Xa'k is capable of bringing him back..."

 _"You think he's ready for that?"_ she asked, a small hint of conern in her voice.

"I think he is, the amount of effort he put in just getting ready, and the amount he talked about him when they were apart speaks volumes of how he feels. I'm glad he's getting over his heartache."

The next thing the Elezen knight knew the door flung open, causing him to jump up slightly; "Demresinaux, where is he? We need to go find him!" The Lalafell manager said, waving his arms histaricoally.

_"That Toreku?" Luscia asked with a giggle._

"Yes, I'll talk to you later, hun. Love you."

_"Love you too."_

He lowered the pearl from his ear to give his full attention to the Lalafell; "Find who? Sora? He's fine."

"Fine? Fine?! I have tried calling him for over an hour and he isn't picking up! How is that fine?! And why are you not with him?!"

Dem gestured with his hands for Toreku to calm himself; "He went to dinner at Xa'k's, you know this. I told him to contact me should he need an escort, but Xa'k is his usual bodygaurd so I am sure if he was coming back tonight, my services would not be required." he watched for a reaction, to see if Torkeu had caught the meaning of his words... he did not.

"You are still his guard till Xa'k is relieved of his temporary duty! Have you heard from him at all?" He was really starting to sound like a father who was worried about their daughter.

"Torkeu," Dem said, leaning forward; "though he has not contatced, I take that as a good thing. It means things with him are well and he feels safe to spend the night there." he stated calmly. It was then that Sora's manager realized what was going on.

"Oh..." he said softly, his face starting to flush; "Dem, would mind staying here the night, should he arrive? Just in case."

He nodded; "Of course." he watched the sandy haired lala inch towards the door.

"And if at all possible, could you maybe not tell him about this?" Dem simple nodded and watched Toreku slowly close the door.

 

~~~

 


	10. Chapter 10

 

~~~

 

 

Xa'kryn awoke in the morning at the crack of dawn, but was very disinclined to adhere to his strict morning routine with the singer clung to his torso as he slept. Instead he stayed within the warmth of bed, with Sora skin to skin; the sight of that peaceful, sleeping face was one he wanted to ingrain into his memory for the long journey ahead. He lay contently next to Sora, and waited for the better part of an hour until the singer awoke naturally. Sora's face flushed slightly at the realization that they were both indeed still naked once it fully dawned on him where he was. There was something comforting about waking up too the sound of someone's heart beating.

 

"...G-good morning..." Sora stammered very slightly, which put a smirk on Xa'kryn's face.

 

"Good morning." Xa'kryn replied, "Did you sleep well?"

 

"...incredibly well," He replied, "...I almost thought I had dreamt the whole thing, it felt too good to be true..." He added blushing a couple of shades darker, "I half expected to wake up still at the golden bazaar...I don't think I've ever slept that soundly... How was your sleep?"

 

"Mine was excellent as well." he replied, "I, too, half expected to wake up too and empty bed, and that last night was a fantastic dream. I was very relieved to find you still in my arms when I awoke," he added with a smirk as he lent in and softly kissed the nape of Sora's neck.

 

"...Have you been awake long...?" Sora blushed as he gave into the soft kisses, and exposed his neck to encourage a little more as he gently caressed the skin of Xa'kryn's back.

 

"Not overly." he replied vaguely with a smirk,

 

"You could have woken me up..." Sora frowned very slightly,  
  
"I didn't want too." He smiled as he held himself up for a moment so he could gaze into the singer's eyes, "I wanted to burn the image of your sleeping face into my memory, especially with such a beautiful, peaceful expression on it." he added as he relaxed against the pillow once more but still held the singer close too him. He lets the arm under Sora's neck gently run through the azure strands of hair.

 

"I wish we could just stay like this..." Sora said with a soft sigh as he slid his hand from Xa'kryn's shoulder blade, and gently down his arm and takes hold of his hand tightly; "I'm going to miss you..."

 

"I'm going to miss you too." Xa'kryn replied returning the grip and brushing his nose gently against his.

 

Sora bit his lip slightly before asking, "...How long do you think you will be gone...?"

 

"...Three, or four weeks." He answered with a very slight frown. "I hope to be returning to Ul'dah your last week in Gridania."

 

 

"This is gonna be torture..." he said softly, snuggling as close as he could. "What are you doing for the days before you leave?"

 

"Spend as much time with you as possible." He replied, he let go of Sora's hand only to wrap it around the singer's back and close the gap between their naked torso's. "I've been reassigned to the troupe for a couple more days as a favour, so I can be with you during the days... but I also want spend each night with you... I don't want to be away from you a minute longer then I have too."

 

Sora blushed very deeply at the Paladin's words and found his heart pounding in his chest once more. It felt like with every word he spoke, he was falling deeper and deeper for him. "I would love nothing more." he replied in a breath as he ran his freed arm up too the Elezen's jaw and drew him into a deep, well deserved kiss.

 

 

~~~

 

It was another half an hour before they prised themselves off one another and got out of bed. Sora unabashedly thumbed through the things in Xa'kryn's bedroom as the Paladin showered in the room across the hall. The only thing that made him blush was when Xa'kryn came back to the room dripping wet with nary on but a towel. Xa'kryn made a simpler breakfast while Sora took his own shower only to put himself back in the same clothes he had on the night before. The two flirted very heavily over breakfast, if it weren't for the empty plates it would almost have seemed as if they did nothing but.

 

They walked hand in hand though the Goblet and slowly made their way back to the Quicksand in Ul'dah proper for the singer's meeting with his manager. Toreku seemed to be a little flustered when they first walked in, and refused to make proper eye contact with Xa'kryn for the first couple of minutes. Xa'kryn pulled out a seat for Sora at the round table across from his manager, who was backed by his normal regiment of guards. As they had discussed on their walk over, Xa'kryn took his leave to back track to the goblet and meet up with his sister.

 

Neither was expecting to see him when he arrived at the door to Kori's apartment. He was still in his small clothes, and threw a robe to her and got at least some proper pants on before seeing what it was that he wanted. Much to Xa'kryn's surprise it was Koriri who seemed the most upset to hear about the mission. Negega unhesitantly agreed to come and immediately started packing, which caused some immediate bickering on his part. Xa'kryn nearly asked what it was about this supply mission that he was so against, but decided it best to keep his mouth shut. There seemed to be no give on her side and eventually Kori agreed to come as well, only because she refused to let Xa'kryn go without her though it was very clear that he was not happy about it. Due to the current mood, he almost didn't want too but he asked the Lalafell for a few specialist Alchemist items to which he was given very, very reluctantly. He tucked them into his belt before heading back to Ul'dah and meeting back up with Sora at the Quicksand.

 

 

They spent the next couple of days basically clung too one another. Xa'kryn had made sure that his schedule was entirely clear aside from his duties to the troupe and Toreku had in turn given Sora as much free time as was possible while still putting on and performing another show. He even rearranged things enough to where Sora had two full days entirely to himself; they day, and the day before Xa'kryn leaves. Toreku was sure Sora wouldn't be able to concentrate on any work either of those days.

 

Toreku had done most of the arranging for having the concert set up on a temporary stage the Sultana allowed them to build around the Sultantree. They had put up some tenting in behind it to serve as a dressing area for Sora, and a station for his guards. There was a large roar from the crowed that had gathered as dusk fell and the stars started to shine in the night sky. It had to be the largest crowd yet, by far that Sora has drawn; It was the first time he had done a concert at the start of the All Saint's wake, and the tourism added too numbers as many people made a pilgrimage to Gridania during this time from all over Eorzea. Tonight was to be his biggest show yet as he closed his tour of Ul'dah. Though nervous, his confidences was bolstered just by the presence of Xa'kryn.

 

Sora smirk as he walked by the paladin and brushed his hand against his only too had it gripped, and have himself pulled back a half a step. Xa'kryn wrapped his arms around the singers waist, and kissed him deeply, holding it for a moment or two. "Good luck." Xa'kryn whispered softly as they briskly touched noses, to which the singer just smirks. To both of their surprise, there wasn't even a protest peep from Toreku, even though he still shook his head at the sight. Xa'kryn gently kissed Sora's knuckles and the singer smiles before slowly let go of the Paladin's hand and walked on stage. Xa'kryn watched Sora's show from the side of the stage just behind the curtain of the tent, his eyes locked upon the singer as he gives it his all. He wasn't entirely hidden from the crowd as he watched, but he didn't care; He wanted to take in as much of Sora as he could in the few days he had left. Sora took his final bow to the largest cheer he felt he had ever heard; his heart pound hard in his chest from all the adrenaline. He was barely behind the curtain of the tent before he leapt into the Paladin's arms and wrapped his arms around his shoulders before he locked him a deep, lustful kiss.

 

That night, instead of spending the night at the house like they had done the nights previous, Xa'kryn had a surprise in store for the singer. He had already warned Toreku while Sora was singing of what his plan was. Hesitantly Toreku packed the things Sora would need and had a bag packed, ready and waiting for him, and assured him that everything was there. Although slightly confused as to why they were headed west, he trusted Xa'kryn and took to enjoying his time alone with him on the back of a chocobo drawn carriage, lit by only the clear desert sky and the galaxies above them. Sora got excited when they blew past Camp Horizon and he realized they were heading towards Vesper bay where a ferry awaited them.

 

They were supposed to sleep on the few hours over there, but Xa'kryn was sure that Sora could hardly sleep a wink due to excitement. It was approaching dawn as they pulled into a bay, and the two gathered their things to disembark. Xa'kryn had never seen Sora look so incredibly happy as he did the moment he went above deck to realize that their destination was not Limsa like he had thought, but Costa Del Sol, a place he mentioned once in passing as to being one of his favourite places in Eorzea. When they disembarked, the first thing the singer did was kiss the Paladin deeply. Xa'kryn returned the kiss and smirked as he grabbed onto the singers hand, and lead him down the docks to catch another smaller boat to the resort itself for a dawn-lit breakfast with a view of the ocean.

 

After breakfast they took a small ferry to Raincatcher Gully, and spent the morning on a romantic stroll of the jungle. It, to be fair, was a little dangerous to wander in Goobbue territory, but they were magnificent to see in person from a distance, and Xa'kryn never once let go of Sora's hand. They snuck off the beaten path at one point and snuck along the ferns and brush until they found a small river. They followed its winding path westward, through the jungle until they came to a clearing. From there Xa'kryn took Sora to one of his favourite spots by Red Mantis Fall; From here there was a clear, beautiful view of the falls over a fallen log bridge. He had found it once one a mission to Brayflox's Longstop; He liked it for the view, Scy liked it for the fishing. Lunch was spent back at Wineport where Xa'kryn had arranged for the kitchen to have a meal hot, and ready for them right at high noon. There was a table that was set up on the highest tier of the vineyard so they could get a clear view of the entire valley.

 

For the afternoon, they returned to the resort where they both got changed into some swimming clothes and Xa'kryn took Sora to a secluded area of the resorts beach; Finally, they were completely alone. The waters were still warm for mid Autumn and the two were unabashedly flirting while they played in the warm waves. For the first time in a very long time, Xa'kryn felt like he could be truly himself without having to put on a front for anyone or hold back any of his emotions and Sora could finally see Xa'kryn smile without hesitation or trying too hide it or pull it back.

 

Half four in the afternoon they got into some slightly warmer beach clothes at the resort before heading out again. They had been lucky and had been alone for the better part of the day, it was only when they returned to the resort that the singer started to turn some heads. This time, Sora lead the way, and took Xa'kryn down the gravel path to the south along Blood Shore hand in hand. After a little distance they diverted off of the path and into the water, "This way," Sora said softly as they started wading through knee high waves that just kissed the hem of Sora's high shorts as they walked through the deepest point. It wasn't nearly as deep as he remembered it being, but he was much smaller then. Xa'kryn could see it from their approach, this small little island clearly had a moderate hill, but it also had a small wave warn alcove on the far side where one could hide if they did not want to be seen from the pier; he could just make out the dry sand behind the drop of the hill as they approached from the side. "This is where I used to go when I was a kid. It's perfect for seeing all the fireworks without having to try to squish to the front of any crowds." Sora said as their toes touched dry land once more. It was still warm enough that the brisk air against their wet legs made their hair stand on end. It was a few paces in before he let his grip soften on Xa'kryn's hand, and eventually slipped free of it. Sora smiles as he turns back to Xa'kryn and makes his way to the top of the hill, trying to hide the slight spring in his step.

 

"It does have a pretty nice view." Xa'kryn said as he reached where the singer had stopped, He could see most of the resort from where they were standing. "Did you get to come here often?"

 

"At least once a year since I was the age of twelve, did I get to come to Costa for the festival." He replied, smiling as he thought back to it. "It took a lot of begging on my part for my mother to finally agree because I had been so sick, but once she saw that I did fine, she relented." He added with a smirk as he turned back to Xa'kryn. "This spot is just perfect... I found it a few years later, you can see everything from here." He was right, Xa'kryn could clearly see the resort perfectly framed under the cliff with the lighthouse. It's almost painting like. And it's at the perfect altitude to take in the freshest sea breeze, untainted by the smell of the food from the stalls on the pier, "...I've always found it easier to breathe here, specifically." Sora sat down on the top of the hill, which seemed to be wave warn by currents centuries passed. As Xa'kryn took a seat beside him, dangling his feet off the edge of the small precipice. He could clearly see where the silt and sand had returned to make a beach below. "It's also a great make out spot." Sora said with a sheepish grin going slightly pink in the cheeks, which Xa'kryn could see even with the golden hue of the sun.

 

"Is that right?" Xa'kryn smirked before he pulled Sora onto his lap and into a deep kiss.

 

And it was indeed. They spend the next better part of the hour making out like they were teenagers. When they went to return Xa'kryn lead Sora back to the beach, but instead of heading towards the resort, he lead Sora back to the main path and up the hill leading to the lighthouse on the cliff. The sun was starting to set but had not yet started to caress the waves of the ocean as Xa'kryn lead Sora to the top. To his surprise, Xa'kryn had already planned to have a candle lit dinner waiting for them when they hit the observation deck of the lighthouse. The meal was still very hot like it had just set out, and there was also wine waiting on ice crystals. His heart started to flutter as the Paladin pulled a chair out for him; he felt like he was a thousand shades of red as he watch as Xa'kryn gingerly pour the wine for both of them. He took a seat before revealing the beautifully seared salmon with Mist dill and lemon, but with a slight twist of using Heavens Lemon instead of Sun Lemon for a slight touch of Ishgardian flavor.

 

Over the course of dinner, Sora took hold of Xa'k's hand across the table as they watched the sunset. He felt words were insufficient to express the amount of joy he felt; joy he at one point thought he'd never feel again. They meandered after the meal, and took their time getting back to the resort to gather their things. Neither of them wanted the day to end, for they knew when it did, they would have to separate. They walk hand in hand very slowly from the resort just as the moons slowly climbed up the sky, illuminating them even in the dark. They could see their ship slowly pulling into the bay, and both of them felt their heart drop. Xa'kryn's grip on Sora's hand got a little firmer as he slowed right down.

 

"Before we get on the ship, there is something I would like to give you." Sora had fumbled with one arm in his bag as they walked, trying to be covert about what he was doing. Xa'kryn furrowed his brow as Sora pauses a moment, and Xa'kryn turns towards him. Sora blushes slightly as he gazes into the paladin's eyes, and Xa'kryn swore he saw Sora's face glittering in a warm blue light. Sora bites his lip as he pulls out a box from his bag and passes it over too Xa'kryn, still gripping onto his hand. Xa'kryn takes the box, and only lets go of Sora's hand to open it. It was a gorgeous bracelet with a gem that matched the colours of Xa'kryn's eyes, and Xa'kryn recognized the stone as Star Spinel; a gem found in his home country. He could clearly see that it was indeed glimmering on its own by the light refracted upon the box as gingerly took it out of its casing. "The upcoming days where we are to be apart, I know for me, will be torture, but every time I look at these earrings I will be reminded that I am never without you," Sora continued, putting a hand to his ears and fumbling with them subconsciously as he watched Xa'k immediately put the bracelet on his right wrist, "I wanted you to have something so that you were never without me..."

 

"It's gorgeous." Xa'kryn was now certain they were glimmering brighter then he had thought he had imagined as he reached out and caressed the singers cheek with his right hand. "Thank you; I'll cherish it always." He said as he pulled the singer closer and lent in enough to kiss him deeply. The closer the earrings and the bracelet got, the brighter it seemed to glimmer. Both of their hearts pound deep in their chest as they kiss deeply on the dock in the moonlight; unbeknownst to them, their faces were lit up, even from a distance from the enchantment that had been ruin-crafted onto the jewellery They had to really pries themselves from each others lips as neither wanted to break the kiss. When the ship finally sounded its horn was when they finally broke the kiss, and resumed walking hand in hand down the dock. Their hearts seemed a bit heavy as they boarded an all too familiar ship; this time, instead of a small ferry, it was the large ship Toreku had rented to Limsa before.

 

They entered their sleeping quarters just as the ship resumed course. They placed their bags down on the bed before Xa'kryn took Sora by the hand to the observation deck at the back of the suite. Xa'kryn pulled Sora close with the bracelette'd hand too his cheek. "The rune-craft is a fantastic touch." Xa'kryn said with a smirk. He had noticed when Sora was talking momentarily too the helmsman that the shimmering had dulled the farther Sora was away from him.

 

"Rune-craft?" Sora questioned with an adorable perplexed look on his face.

 

"You didn't notice that they glisten as a set?" to which Sora's response was a shake of the head. Xa'kryn smirks as he leads him back to the mirror set into the top of the dresser at the foot of the bed. "See," Xa'kryn said as he caressed Sora's cheek with his right hand. The closer the bracelet was, the brighter the shimmering, enough to be elegant and not distracting. "They shine brightly as a set." Xa'kryn smiled.

 

"...So that was his reason... matching alloy, my butt..." Sora said out loud under his breath, "Must have been Toreku's doing... I never asked him for that..." Sora added, caressing one of the earrings. "It's a very sweet touch... remind me to thank him when we return..."

 

 

"I will," Xa'kryn replied as he pulled the singer close and wrapped his other arm around his waist. "And thank you again for the wonderful gift." He added before pulling the singer into a deep kiss.

 

That night was spent doing very little sleeping and more groping instead. They knew it was their last night for what would feel like eternity, so they spend it lost in each others lips; making out on the bed. Though they never went below the belt-line it did not stop either of them from getting extremely turned on and exploring one another's sensitive spots with their fingers, and tongues. It took very little fumbling by Xa'kryn's hands to turn Sora's nipples hard as a rock as they grazed them and Xa'k's hand grip at his buttocks; Xa'kryn nearly came in his pants at the mere brush of Sora's tongue against the lobe of his very sensitive long ears.

 

Xa'kryn slept for only an hour or two, which he would regret later on, but not in the moment; he relished every second of his time left with him. They spent most of the night wrapped in each others arms making plans for when they were reunited. If he he does not make it back before Sora leaves Gridania, they arranged to meet up in Limsa. He hated how he could not have a personal linkpearl on this mission, and they plan to get a set when he returned. Sora was right; this was going to be outright torture.

 

The sun was just kissing the sky as it rose over the ocean as the ship pulled along the Thanalan coast and caused the desert glow an even warmer hue of gold as they arrived in Vesper's Bay.

 

Xa'kryn never let go of Sora's hand as they disembarked the ship and got into the carriage that was waiting for them, which was primed with their usual escort of Immortal Flames Guards. It was apparent to Toreku when they arrived back at the city that they were both very tired, yet extremely happy. Sora's smile alone made this breach of protocol worth it to his manager, who had been very against the idea of letting them leave alone to begin with. Xa'kryn patted Toreku on the head as he walked by him and got onto the carriage, while Sora unexpectedly gave his manager a hug; beaming as he thanked him for the surprise touch on his gift.

 

They were able to spend the better part of the day together, though a small portion of this was watching Xa'kryn gather his things at the house in the goblet, where they had breakfast already waiting for them compliments of Toreku. Xa'kryn had prepacked most of what he would need before their day trip as to not make it so hard on them. They spend lunch at the Quicksand, with a meal on the house from Momodi who seemed to relish in the fact that her stoic friend was finally outwardly showing happiness. The couples' apprehension started to mount around midday, and the closer they got to Xa'kryn's leaving.

 

Reluctantly, they made their way to the Gate of Nald walking hand in hand. Both of their hearts were pounding, and aching at the same time. Toreku was there as emotional support for Sora as well as a couple of his usual guards, including Corporal Destrega. When they arrived Negega and Kori were there already packed with the other dozen members of the squadron for this group and four carriages packed with supplies. As usual Koriri had a scowl on his face, and was clearly not too pleased to be there with his arms cross his chest. Negega beams as she sees her brother and his boyfriend arrive. She too, was quite clearly very happy to see him happy for the first time in a very long time.

 

"Good! You're here! Are you ready?" Negega said smiling, she knew the answer to that.

 

"...No. Not really." Xa'kryn replied honestly.  
  
"Well get ready." Kori said bluntly, glaring up to the Elezen, followed shortly after by a slight sigh after getting elbowed in the side by the Miqo'te woman. "...You've five minutes; use them wisely." He said while turning away, grabbing onto Neg's hand and heading back towards the squad, a few meters away.

 

Xa'kryn furrowed his brow at the halfling; He sighed, and relented. He was right to give him a time limit, otherwise he'd try to put off leaving for as long as he could.

 

"...Please stay safe..." Sora said softly, clearly trying to suppress his emotions and stop his voice from breaking.

 

His heart ached hearing those words, and didn't really want to go. "I will..." He reached out with his right hand and watched the glimmering of their gifts glow brighter as he caressed Sora's cheek. Xa'k didn't care how many eyes were on him as he pulled the singer as close to him as he could and kissed him very deeply; now fully breaking the rules about displays of affection in front of subordinates. It took everything in them to break the kiss, and even then did not let go of one another. Sora's grip on Xa'k's waist tightened as he fought back the tears that wanted to fall. Xa'kryn slowly pulls away, only to gently kiss Sora once more.

 

As he stood up once more, still holding hands with the singer is when the halfling sidled over too him once more with a smirking Negs beside him. He thrust a vial to his chest which made him slowly let go of Sora's hand. "...Oh come on."  
  
"Don't be a baby and drink it," Kori said shortly, "You and I both want this over with as fast as possible," He added, "We take objective A, while they go to objective B; and No, we're not swapping." He added catching the look on Xa'kryn's face while Negega just smiled at the slightly perplexed look on Sora's face. Xa'kryn kissed Sora one more time before popping the top of the vial and drinking it. It was clear that it didn't taste very pleasant before Koriri activated a handcrafted Teleport scroll. One by one, eight of the sixteen people blipped away while the four supply carriages started rolling away simultaneously; the last people to teleport were the Neel's, leaving Sora with the image of their smiling faces slowly disappearing in a flash of light and a gust of heat. When they were gone and he, his manager and his guards were left alone in the dusk of the desert, it was very apparent to Sora that the light from his earrings had faded completely as the other half of the rune set teleported away.

 

As per the usual, even with Kori's antinausiant potion, the usually tough Paladin was brought too his knees as he arrived on the other side of the portal. He was just able to negate throwing up, but only barely and ended up propping himself up on a large Aethercrystal they had teleported near.

 

"Why don't you man up and just build a tolerance to teleporting already?" Koriri said shortly as he roll his eyes as the tall heaping mess that was supposed to be their protection; defeated by vertigo. "It's quite pathetic to see you like this every time." He added.

 

"Just shut it will you." Xa'kryn retorted as he felt another wave of sickness.

 

"Even with my alchemical help, you're useless when we arrive. How is that of any help to any one of us here to have you incapacitated every time. It's like a sailor refusing to get their sea legs; it's ridiculous, and it's going to get us killed one day."

 

"Geez, Thanks for the vote of confidence." Xa'kryn said as he lifted himself up from where he had been leaning.

 

"Tch, you know you could have just turned down this assignment then none of us would have to be here."

 

"You know, you could have done the same," He retorted,

 

"Oh no; You know that's not how this works. You think I'm going to let you take her hundreds of miles away after giving us barely a week together? After your stupid re-assignment separated us for weeks?" At this point Neg's had placed a hand to the Halfling's shoulder only to have it shirked off as the Garlean's temper flared. "I was to let you take her away then drag this out for two weeks longer then necessary because you're too much of a pussy to teleport." Though short, Koriri had that Garlean temper and could actually come across as a bit intimidating to even the tallest of people. "You'd really leave him alone for over a month? Wasn't that about as long as it took for you to sidle your way in there? What's stopping him from running off with someone? Or even his old boyfriend? Who's to say he hasn't been watching his every move and just waiting for YOU to leave? And you'd rather dawdle because your royal pain in the ass can't handle throwing up like a god damn child."

 

"...Kori..." Neg's said softly before the halfling stormed off.  
  
"Let's just get this shit over with."

 


	11. Chapter 11

From here, in Mor Dhona, they would head north. Xa'kryn found himself struggling for the first time in the job pushing back his emotions, and it was not helped much by his sisters teasing; The halfling's words cut deep and though he trusted Sora, he had no way of knowing what sort of poison sweet nothings it would take for that Miqo'te to get back into his life. He hated that he had to pass through the Coerthas highlands and caught himself staring at the Gates of Judgment in the distance as they rode up through Camp Dragonhead and wondering for half a second how his brother was.

They made good time on this mission as they pushed North East through Natalan and into Xelphatol Territory for the first half of their scouting mission in just over a weeks time. Mylla's concerns were confirmed, and the natives had been coerced into working for the Garleans, but they had yet to ascertain just what their motives were. Mylla agreed to send in a special task force and as soon as their replacements arrived via, they were free to continue south, and meet up with the squad on objective B, which was another four days on the road at the very least before they got to a proper Camp; To Xa'kryn's relief, they did not teleport, but rather hired Black Ishgardian Chocobo's from Camp Dragonhead. The young Lord in charge there say not a word too him, but it was very clear that he knew about his family line when he got a servant to apologize for being unable to provide a reduction in pricing though being a former brother of Ishgard.

They sped southward through the Coerthan Central highlands then east into the Black Shroud. Formalities included a very small pit stop in Gridania proper itself to talk to Kan-E-Senna herself about the potential threat to the north, and advise her of their supply mission to Rhalgar's Reach, as per their orders. To Xa'k's disappointment, Sora had not arrived by the time they had to leave town again, and headed south east towards Baelsar's Wall; the dividing wall between Gridanian Territory and and the now Garlean occupied Gyr Abania. 

The supply carriages that had taken the eastern roads out of Thanalan and up through the Shroud to Hawthorne hut. They had only arrived hours ago, and had resupplied their rations just in time for Xa'kryn and the other half of the squad to show back up. They was only a little time to relax before they continued south east through Nine Ivies to Amarissaix's Spire; a heavily guarded gate, and last line of defence from the Garlean's that had taken over Gyr Abania some fifteen years prior. 

"Here, before we get too far..." Negega said holding up the entire squadron. "Take two each," She said as he handed out vials of a very fragile nature. 

"What is it...?" Xa'kryn asked with a slightly furrowed brow as he took the vials from her hand, and she continued to pass them around to everyone aside from Kori, who had a whole side pouch full of them.

"I've been working on some ancient Sharlayan alchemy, and I have perfected bottling up a single use spell of Float." She said matter-of-factly, rather proud of herself too by the look on her face. "Once the vial breaks, a buffer of float will be released, and will last for thirty seconds or so. It's not much, but it's enough to break the fall of even the heaviest of people. Everyone is to take one."

It was a full solid day of climbing Baelar's wall, which was more of a Labyrinth. They had scaled nearly thirty stories from the inside. They had to abandon their carts and pack the supplies individually. When they made it to Gyr Abania they were to meet up with a caravan which would take the supplies the rest of the way, leaving one squadron free to go back to Eorzea while the other finished the escort mission. Once they had made it into the centre of the Labyrinth, they had camp set up a floor down, out of sight. Right now the wall was barren for personnel, as the Garleans were drawn to the in-fighting at Castrum Oriens, which made for a perfect distraction but made Xa'kryn apprehensive, even with the rotation in guard for the night watch. With the moons rising and a temporary makeshift camp finally set up Xa'kryn decided to take the first look out and went up a few flights of stairs to the very top of the wall. He walked along the high bridge from the centre of the base to the walls themselves. From here you could clearly see where the sand met the forest. If it weren't for this wall, the desert would slowly be encroaching upon the treeline, as it could clearly be seen doing in the far distance even in the starlight. 

Xa'kryn found himself gazing towards the green city lights in the distance, and subconsciously rubbed the gem of the bracelet he was given before a sound caught his ear. He turned around to see his sister beaming at him. "That's a very beautiful bracelet!" she exclaimed as she reached out and took his hand in hers to examine it. "Star Spinel..." she said aloud as she gently touched the gem of it. "That's a thoughtful touch." 

"Thank you. It was a gift from Sora." Xa'kryn replied. 

"Funny that I notice it now of all days," She replied sweetly; she had noticed it before, but hadn't the time to bring it up before now. "How are you feeling...?" She asked as she got close enough to wrap her arms around him and give him the hug that he looked like he so desperately needed.

"... I'm doing okay." He replied staring off into the distance before returning the hug he was given. 

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah..." he replied, "Really, I'm fine,"

"You don't have to hide the truth me..." She asked as she nuzzled against his chest slightly. "You've been withdrawn since the trip started." Her hugs were always warm, and comforting, and her grip was always firm.

"I know I have. I'm sorry. It's just... my mind hasn't been focused on the task... and being away from him really bothers me, today seems especially hard..." 

"It's really just the date that's bothering you?" she retorted with a frown as she pulled away from the embrace. "If it's what Kori said, I'm sorry... He's right though... I wouldn't have let you go on your own.... and Kori would follow me to seven hells and back." She said matter-of-factly, with an apologetic smile on her face. 

"...It is who I'm away from..." Xa'k sighed as he stare back to the towering trees in the distance, "It's my first nameday with a boyfriend, and I'm on a mission; it's harder on me then I anticipated it being..." He replied honestly, "That wasn't the part of what Riri said that bothered me; He was right; now would be the perfect time for Tracey to show back up... Sora's at home visiting family, and he didn't live far..." All she could do is frown, "It wasn't something I had been actively dwelling upon until that jackass stuck it in the forefront of my mind, now it's all I can think of..." 

"You know Sora's not like that. He would not leave you just because his ex came back."

"It's not really that I worry about..." Xa'kryn bit at his own lip and withheld his own true doubts; that feels like he can't replace what they had.

"You know Kori was just 'pulling baby hair' when he said that, right?"

Xa'kryn shook his head; "For the first time in years I have really thought about my brother and how he is doing. Part of me wanted to barge through those gates and tell him the truth because for the first time I am truly happy... Sora reading that letter with me made me realize how much I honestly missed him." he paused, his gaze still fixed on the trees in the distance, his hand now clasping over the gem of the bracelet; "This Nameday I felt was worth celebrating and hoped that I could have family near by, but here I am with my boyfriend miles away, no contact with my brother and still no word on Scy... It's been how long since he was accused and vanished? or was it the other way around..."

"It's been well over half a year..." She said with a frown, fighting back some slight tears as she thought about him, "but this mission come with a slight bonus rumour I'd like to check out while we're here... Uncle Scy was reported to have been sighted in The Peaks of Gyr Abania. Once we get this done, it'll be a one day lay over to check it out, and we can return still well before schedule."

"Scy's been sighted?"

"Or at least someone that very much matches his description..." She replied trying not to be too overly hopeful just in case it was a dead end, "But you do have family, Xa'k, I know it's not much..." She replied grasping onto both of his hands. "but I'm here..." She bit at her own lip momentarily before taking her brothers hands and moving them closer, "We're here..." there were a few tears that rolled down her cheeks as she smiled and held them to her abdomen, 

It was then that it really dawned on him why his sister had been acting weird for the past few weeks; the change in diet, her more then usual extremes of emotions, the 'flu' she kept having, and more over, it explained away perfectly why Koriri had been avoiding him more then usual. "Wait, seriously?"

She nodded, beaming, "We were going to wait until the mission was over... but I thought it was only appropriate to tell you that not only are you going to be an uncle, but a god father too, on your nameday." It was clear that Xa'kryn was in shock with his news, but his shocked face very shortly after turned into a smile, "Happy Nameday, Xa'k."

It was then that this happy moment was interrupted by a clearly very mad Lalafell, "What in HELLS name do you think you're doing? God damn it woman, I TOLD you not to tell him!"

"Oh come on, Kori, It's fine," she sighed turning towards the halfling while Xa'kryn's hands fell from her waist.

"Yeah, what's the big dea-" Xa'k was going to asked by was cut off by the Garlean shouting,

"NO, It is not 'fine', Negs. Why do you never listen to me?" He said, clearly so mad you could see the blood vessels in his forehead. "The cards have never lied to me before; why the hell do you think I told you not to come?" 

"Please, let's not go over this again," She sighed with her hands to her hips, "It's just a nightmare, Kori," 

"You still believe I'd be this upset over some stupid dream? The Echo is NO dream." It had been a while since Xa'kryn saw him this angry. "It's segments of what is, was, and will be, Negs, and has NEVER been wrong." He stated. "It's been in the cards my entire life that I would lose the first attempt to reclaim a family for my own and I thought for once you took my arts seriously. You said you understood when I finally told you about it. Every time it's the same vision, every time the card's play out the same, and HE," He said pointing at Xa'kryn but still clearly focused on his pregnant girlfriend, " and that stupid green backdrop are the catalyst; Why do you think I made you agree to wait until we were back in Ul'dah?!"

"What do you mean I'm the catalyst?" Xa'kryn asked,

"Shut it!" Koriri snapped,

"No, I will not." He replied, "I want to know what you mean."

"I said SHUT IT!!"

"Kori, I know you're worried, but It's passed that point now..." she tried to reassure him,

"You still don't get it! It's not you, it's not that. Think of where we are, woman." He retorted, "Who wants to let their pregnant girlfriend go on a mission, alone, into Garlean territory? Why do you think I begged you to just stay at home?"

"I couldn't! You know that. I can't be locked away wondering what happened anymore, no matter how far along I am."

"So much so that you're willing to put yourself, and OUR CHILD at risk for a mere rumour? I know you're naive enough to believe it, but this whole thing has been phishy from the start." He retorted, so red in the face it made his third eye stand out in mere contrast of pale white horn on reddened skin. "I don't care about your stupid uncle, he can get fucked; As soon as we're done with this stupid mission, WE are going home! Let the oaf chase ghosts; he wanted this to take months anyway." He glared at the tall Elezen, "Hurry back to camp, where I can keep an eye on you; If you're not back in ten, we're going home immediately, and the squad can walk back." He added before storming away, back to the staircase down to the lower levels of the fortress.

It was obvious to Xa'k that she was fighting back a few tears. "I'm sorry about that, Xa'k..."

"His outburst you don't have to apologize for; now I perfectly understand what had his panties in a knot from the get go," He replied as he wrapped his arms around her, comforting her like she had him earlier. "...I do however agree with him." He added, pulling away only a little to look into her eyes. "Unlike you, I have a little more faith in Astrologian readings, and if he was that concerned, you should have heeded his words; at least to ease his worry. I don't like the way he talks to you sometimes, but I see that he genuinely cares about you. You are the only one he cares about besides himself. If you already knew you were pregnant, you should have stayed home, where it's safe."

"I couldn't just-"

"Yes, you could have. You could have let us handle it. You don't have to always do everything yourself; rely on us for once. You have an entire team of people to back you up and as much as we both want to know what happened to Scy, we're going to fall back after the mission is over."

"You're just going to leave him out there? Don't you want to know what happened to him?"

"Of course I do, Negs, but there are sixteen of here. It does not have to be you, or I, to follow the lead. I'll send out a party to investigate. You and Kori can return in the morning." 

"but Xa'k..." she replied as she pulled away from the embrace slightly. 

"I want you to be where I know you are safe, Kori does too, and I know for a fact that Scylus would be lecturing you the most if he knew that you were out here in Gyr Abania. For once in your life, please don't be so stubborn and let us handle it." Xa'kryn replied as he caressed his sisters shoulder.

"I don't care how much he yells at me, I much rather be there. He's my uncle! And, besides you, the only other family that hasn't been captured by the Garleans. I'd never forgive myself if he was there and I did not go to his rescue."

"It isn't just about you anymore," He reminded her by placing his hand back too her abdomen, "We are not your only family, you have two others you have to think of now, and one of them is probably losing his mind with worry back at camp waiting for you. As your child's God Father is my job to keep both of you safe, which includes dropping you from missions, no matter how personal they are to us." Xa'kryn replied firmly as he wrapped his arms back around her waist and pulled her close. "If it was a trap and you went along, I'd never forgive myself." he added honestly, "If we're going to look for Scy, let's so this properly, by telling the guild." By the look on her face it was obvious she did not like this idea."I know you did not tell Mylla about this. She would not have let us go if she knew because we far too personally invested in that case, and being this close is far too tempting."

"Why?! They'll just slow this down, like they have been for months. They don't care about him!"

"I have too tell her. It's my job. I can't send out a party and not tell the guild where they are; What if they get hurt?"

"You should go yourself if you're not going to let me." she retorted, more upset than angry finally letting her tears flow that she had been holding back since Kori stormed away.

"You know she's not going to let me either;" He retorted, "We're both too emotionally invested to think clearly in a moment of crisis when it comes to him; You rushing in there on your own will prove that. I also do not want to be away from Sora."

 

The pair glanced to one another as they both sensed that something felt very off. It was far too quiet, even the sounds from the forest had disappeared, and they realized they could no longer feel the breeze that had been kissing their hair. They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of the linkpearl going off. In the microsecond he had, he expected it to be Koriri about to give them another lecture but instead their ears were greeted by a sound far worse and she immediately fell to the floor in pain. They thought they had faintly heard a voice through the static before their ears were auditorily assaulted with a frequency higher then even the Mandragora Queen could ever hope to achieve coming from the Link-pearl directly against their ears; which made even the tall Elezen buckle. He was the first to remove the pearl from his ear, and quick to remove hers before any permanent damage could be done. It took the Miqo'te woman a second to recover from the shock to her system after the pearl was removed. Her eyes widened and her heart dropped and she scrambled to get up from where she fell, "Kori~" 

"Negs~ Wait~" Xa'kryn called out after her, and hastily got up himself, but she was far quicker then he was even with his long legs and was quite a way ahead of him, running towards the stairway down to the lower levels. As she rounded the corner she let a shriek as she collided with something and was pushed backwards, landing hard on her back at the top of the stairs.

"Negs~" He called as he rushed towards her, only to be literally blown back by large gust of wind, which appeared out of nowhere and he was faced with a summoner's elemental. He was narrowly able to dodge a blade of wind so sharp that it cut the knuckles of his hand as he ungracefully moved to avoid being cut in half. He was able to dodge past the Garuda-Egi just in time to see his sister cast Fluid Aura and knock her pursuer back down the stair case. 

His attempt to reach her however was blocked by the sudden appearance of a Titan-Egi from the top of the stair case who took no time at all entering the fray and joining Garuda to block the Paladin's path. He dodged an incoming rock and watched his sister scamper backwards into a corner, unable to get up from where she was pushed down. It was then when he finally saw their attacker. This woman was dressed unlike any summoner he had ever seen, clad in armour like a paladin, but none the less saw her command the Titan to take another swing at him. He was barely able to dodge a weight of the land that was thrown under him, and it was so strong that it warped the metal of the tower that was below it as if it were sand. 

"Xa'k!" He heard his name called and he glance back to see his sister take a Shield Bash to the face by this approaching woman and be knocked out cold.

"NO~!" He yelled and swiftly dodged another blade of wind before rushing out as fast as he could past the summons towards his sister. He saw their attacker raise their right hand to strike Neg's once more and used Cover the millisecond he was in range. 

He found himself instantly between his sister and her attacker just as she delivered the blow. It was unlike any pain he had ever experienced; He felt as though someone has just deflated his lung with a knife, and he found it impossible to take another breath in. He glanced down to see not a knife, but an Astrologian card that was emanated dark magic that seemed to encompass even her hand. It was then he got a really good look at her face; Hyur definitely of highland decent with short black hair and red highlights. All she did was smirk and drive her hand harder against his chest, causing him to gasp out what little breath he did have left. "More stubborn then I thought." 

Their Attacker was suddenly blown backwards as the white mage gained consciousness enough to cast Fluid Aura once more, releasing Xa'kryn from the dark magic. He was unable to regain his breath even after breaking free, and it was only relieved momentarily after Negega cast regen on him.

He glanced back to see a masked rogue clad in black charging them from the side. Xa'kryn pushed through the pain and got up just in time to deflect the dual handed daggers that were being swung at him and he was able to knock the rogue off balance enough to have him nearly fall from the wall; he caught himself at the very last second. That was enough time for their first assailant to come back and charge the woman once more. This time he was able to avoid getting hit with that dark magic once more, just barely, by stopping her incoming swing with a dagger he had grabbed subconsciously and drove it right through her forearm. To his surprise she seemed unfazed by this at all, and didn't grimace at all as he drove it deeper into her arm as they struggled against each other. 

"Enough." . The Hylander let out a loud whistle which caused the Egi she commanded to swarm together. She was then joined by the rogue, and another mage again clad in black. "Get the Sharlayan woman." The Hylander Hyur snapped before summoning another Egi into the fray, right in between her and the Elezen Paladin. It was only mere moments before the heat was too intense, Xa'kryn had to drop his grip on the now melting dagger as the Ifirit-Egi grew in intensity. He was not fast enough to dodge the incoming eruption from the Egi which blew him back into the other two Egi who then immediately charged him. Neg's head once more took a blow cast by the black mage as it bounced against the thick steel beaming that was the fence of the high wall, but this time, remained conscious. 

Two of the three Egi seemed coalesce into one and grow in size as they charged Xa'kryn. He frantically tried to catch his breath, as well as hold his ground. Titan seemed to be brimming with rage as it was engulfed by Ifrit's flames and he narrowly avoided being pulled down by the now dripping hot metal plate below his feet. He was unable to dodge and was blown by Garuda into the other summons way. As he was grabbed he could already smell the burning from the fabric within his armour plating. His inability to catch his breath was only worsened by the strengthening of the titan's grip against him as he was being pushed towards the gap in the fencing where a cannon was usually faced.

"Xa'k!" He could hear his name being called, which bolstered his strength to fight back. He hooked his leg on the beam to stop himself from being thrown off, and he could feel his feet slowly being pushed off to lip of the edge. He press himself into the flames of the titan's chest with the rest of his might, and managed to gain back a little of what was taken. 

"Just get rid of him, already." She commanded, and with a final gust of wind and fire the floor was taken out from under him and he was left to free fall from the very top. 

"No~! Xa'k~!!" Negega screamed as she watched he brother pushed and fall from the hundred story high wall. With the snap of her fingers, two of the assailant's held the white mage in place. Tears were welling up in her eyes as she looked to her attacker; 

"Now, to take what what we came for." The woman said, grinning as she moved her shield covered arm back. 

The Miqo'te closed her eyes, the tears now streaming down her face; "Kori..." she whispered. 

Xa'kryn had fallen from consciousness about halfway down his drop as he smashed off of one of the lower railing during his decent. It was only by chance that that collision unfastened his satchel, and allowed the contents to spill onto the grown below; including his sisters vials of float, which caught his fall. He had been unable to regain his breath at all, and awoke to much the same sensation, but worse several hours later. His vision was blurred, and he was in excruciating pain as he tried to move and when he tried to take a deep breath in he felt something terribly wrong, and started coughing up blood. He was just able to get his fingers on a teleport scroll out of reach, and activate it before he fell unconscious once more; this time, to the sounds of frantic friendly voices, and the sound of his guild-master screaming for a medic. 

 

~~


	12. Chapter 12

~~

 

Xa'kryn was transported by stretcher down into the infirmary in the Colosseum, just below the guild hall. He wasn't breathing when he arrived. The transport had done more damage as he ended up choking on his own sick as he gasped for air. The White Mages and Scholars they had on hand worked all through the night, trying desperately to repair the damage that had been done. After stabilizing him, the difficult part was removing his crushed and melted armour, which had grafted to the skin of his chest. Lucky for him, he was unconscious, otherwise the pain would be excruciating. They were aided by the Astrologian Maester who had not left town yet who greatly added to the effort in healing Xa'kryn's right lung, but he found something blocking his ability to reverse the damaged caused too the left. He was breathing with the aide of alchemical device that made use of air clusters, but still had not woken up.

It was only in the early hours of the next morning, when all Xa'kryn's wounds were dressed, and cast did Mylla exited the infirmary and head across the hall and made use of the triage's office to call Toreku by linkpearl. 

Toreku was sat down at the dining room table and just about to go through the mounds of papers and notes he had for Sora's homecoming concert in Gridania when his link pearl went off. He glanced out the window to see dawn light just filtering through the curtains; he was curious as to who would be trying to contact him at such an hour as he wasn't expecting any until the afternoon. He put the pearl on the table as he answered so he could continue to rifle through and find his set list. "This is Toreku Guhareku, How may I be of service?" He asked as he finally found the paper he was looking for." 

"Toreku? It's Mylla;" The guild-master stated, "I apologize for calling so early, but I'm afraid I have some grievous news."

"Grievous?" Toreku repeated lowering the sheet he had been reading. 

"O'kar returned to us late last night via teleport in very critical condition, alone;" She searched for words to put it gently but decided to be very direct. "He was not breathing when he arrived, and it took the entire night just to get him stabilized and breathing on his own power again." Sora had gotten up, and paused in the hall, bracing himself against a wall as he eavesdropped on the conversation that was happening in the kitchen.

She went over, in detail the damage that had been done. How his armour was crushed in on the right side and melted, and how he's now got second degree burns on that side of his chest, but how it was his left lung that seemed to be collapsed. Shattered forearm, fractured hip, concussion, several bruises and cuts on his face and hands were the minor of the damage.

"He is very lucky to be alive, and that we had some extra hands to aide in his revival; although, we still do not know what happened," She sighed, "I cannot get in touch with the rest of his squad, they've all gone silent, and he has still not regained consciousness" 

"Is he going to make a full recovery?" Toreku asked, no longer looking through the papers he had had; genuinely concerned for Xa'k's safety.

"His most of his wounds should heal, and they are hopeful he will regain consciousness.. the damage to his lung however..." she paused, "He's breathing on the capacity of his right lung only, but doing it on his own. Its something none of our healers have ever seen; this was not done conventionally, as not even our strongest mage could even put a dent in it. The Astrologian has requested some Ishgardian tools brought to Ul'dah to help, but that will take at least a day to gather, and another to set up. We have set up Air Clusters on a Alchemical Respirator to at least aide in the oxygen content he is getting." She added before pausing for another half a second before continuing, "I would not be calling you so early if he did not have any other next of kin to contact, as there is no way to get a call to Ishgard and Ms. Neel was on the mission... Sora Evens would have been the only one left to contact if he had updated his list, but since he had not, and you are the one that most frequently employs him, I'm contacting you."

"I... will let Sora know the moment he awakes... but for now... since there is little more to do but wait on his condition, I will let him rest..."

It was before Mylla started to go into detail that the singer had immediately run back to his room, and frantically got dressed. He rifled through his side bag until he hand his hands on a teleport scroll; he did not even get up from where he was before he activated it, and teleported himself instantly to Ul'dah. He didn't even leave a note for Toreku, nor did he think too. The only words that ran through his mind were "He was not breathing when he arrived." and "breathing on his own power again.". 

As soon as he landed there was a rattle of glasses nearly toppling on a tray, as the sound, and sudden appearance of the singer in the middle of room severely startled the Lalafell behind the counter of the Quicksand. 

"Sor-?" Momodi went to question before he was immediately cut off. It was still so dark in the room that she was only sure it was Sora because his face was lit up by the now very faint shimmering lights of his earrings.

"Infirmary; Where is it!?" he asked as he lent against the counter as he got closer. 

"Infirmary?" She questioned once more before seeing the desperate look on the singers face; It was clear to him that Momodi had not heard the news yet. 

"I need to see Xa'k." His voice was about to break as he fought back his emotions, not wanting to break down, not out here in public even if there were so few people around at this early hour. 

There was a clamouring as the grip Momodi had on the tray she had been carrying faltered and several silver goblets hit the floor. She wasted no time escorting the singer straight through to the Colosseum and through the long, windy corridors of the labyrinth that was the Main gladiators quarters.

By chance, Demresineaux was just leaving the mess hall when he saw a very hasty Momodi pass followed very closely by a nearly frantic looking Sora. The sight caused Dem to double take, as he had seen his friend off to Gridania not even a fortnight ago. He was far down the hall before Dem could get a word out.

He quickly pulled out his link pearl out of his pocket and made a call back home. The sun had just risen over the horizon when Luscia's Link-pearl went off, she furrowed her brow slightly as she sleepily went to answer it.

"Hun...?" she answered, knowing who was on the other end, as it was their private Link-pearl. 

"Sorry to wake you sweetie, but I need to ask you something... It's important."

"Important? So early?"

"Did you know that Sora is in Ul'dah?" he replied as he slowly followed his friend down the hall at a distance, who was still moving at a fast pace following the Lalafell woman farther down.

"No." She replied, "I did not... I saw him a few hours ago..." 

"....They're headed towards the infirmary..." He had heard rumours of someone arriving in critical condition last night, but names were not mentioned. "I'm going to follow them to make sure he's alright... He has no guards with him... so I'm not sure if Toreku is even aware..."

"No guards? Are you serious?" She said with a little more clarity, as that shock seemed to force her awake. He could then clearly hear her scramble as she got up from her bed, "I'm going to see Toreku right now." She added as she grabbed something from her wardrobe to throw on. "Please keep me posted on what's going on... and if he's okay." Both of them were wondering now just why he would be heading to Ul'dah's infirmary.

They both pocketed their Link-pearls and took on their respective tasks. Luscia ran as fast as she could through the lavender-beds through to Amethyst Shallows and took a ferry to get too the cottage that Toreku had rented in Wildflower stalls subdivision, while Dem followed his azure haired friend down the hallway. As he rounded a corner he saw that both he, and Momodi were stopped in front of the office usually reserved for the on site Chirurgeon, with Sora knocking loudly on the door. 

It was just as Demresineaux caught up when the guild-master opened the door. She seemed very taken back by the sight of the singer, just as Dem had. "...I take it you overheard."

"Where is he?!"

"He's resting at the end of the hall." she replied, "He has not woken up yet, but he'll pull through. The Chirurgeons are still with him though..."

"I don't care, I want to see him!" Sora replied bluntly, his hands were visibly shaking, as was his voice. 

"Mr. Evens, I cannot allow you to interfere with their work, and I cannot give you a timeline as to when they will be done."

"Interfere?" he repeated angrily, "What, do you think I'm going to stop them?" He clenched his fists at his sides, still trying to control his shaking. "Of course I'm not going too. I know better. I just need to see him!"

"Without his consent, I can't allow anyone in there, besides medical staff."

"Bluntly, Guild-Master." Dem spoke up and it was the first time Sora had noticed that his friend was beside him. "If I were in that room I would want Luscia to be there and able to be by my side, no matter how badly injured I am, whither I knew she was there or not." 

"And equally as bluntly, Private, That is on your file already as your next of kin. The Major's next of kin are unreachable."

"With all due respect, Ma'am, if there are no next of kin to be contacted, the next person on the contact list is the patient's lover. You have already contacted his former employer, otherwise Mr. Evens here would not have known to come here, or about something that happened so few hours ago. You are aware of their relationship." He replied, "You know the Major better then most; do you honestly think that he'd not want him there? " He asked earnestly as he gaze his Guild-master right in the eyes; he didn't care if he were reprimanded for speaking out of turn, and he could clearly see his friend on the verge of tears, "He's no stranger to medical facilities, He will listen to the Chirurgeons, and step away if ordered too. I'm off duty today, but I will stay to guard and escort him away if need be. I ask for leniency, " 

There was a little griping from the guild-master, however she conceded when she glanced back to Sora who had tears now streaming down his cheeks as he fought to control his emotions. "...Another thing, Private;" She paused with her hand back on the Chirurgeon office's door handle, "If you ever, ever speak out of line like that again, you will be recycled, do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am" He replied hastily before the door was momentarily closed behind them. 

"...Thank you..." Sora said softly through gasps of breath as he tried to stop himself from crying. 

"Hey, don't mention it." he said as he placed a hand on his friends shoulder before escorting him slowly down the hallway towards the room as they waited for the Guild-master to come back, followed shortly by the innkeeper. Sora wiped away his tears with his hands; he was only slightly comforted by his friend warm hand, but his worry and dread built the closer they got to the door. The Guild-master finally returned with her jacket and Xa'kryn's medical records. Momodi took a seat on the bench and Demresineaux stood watch by the door as Mylla opened the door and entered, hastily followed by Sora.

"Xa'k...~!" Sora let out an audible cry as his eyes gaze upon Xa'kryn, who lay comatose in the bed. It was a bigger shock to his system then he had expected. He knew he would see him hooked up to the respirator, but he had not mentally prepared himself for anything else. 

His breaths were shallow even with the respiratory help, but he was breathing on his own. He was surrounded by a circle of four Chirurgeons who were all focusing their magics on them at the behest of the Astrologian that Sora had seen only once before.

His chest was bandaged heavily on his right side, and even with the padding you could clearly see the blood and bile from the huge burn across his chest as it wept through the cloth. His hand was also wrapped and was seeping as well but not nearly as badly, and his head was only wrapped as a precaution and to cover the minor laceration to the side of his face. His arm on the same side was cast from his hand too his bicep and held in a sling above his bed; as were his legs, as his pelvis was also cast in hard resin to stop him from moving should he awake.

His knees almost gave out before he even made it close too the bed and and the guild-master had to stabilize him as his hands shook uncontrollably and he struggled to lift himself back up with his own weight. It was now evident to Mylla that he did not know quite the extent of Xa'k's injuries and must have left before even being told.

"He'll pull through," Mylla stated as soothingly as she could, though that did not do anything to ease the singers worry. "He has a concussion, a shattered arm, a fractured pelvis, second degree burns to his chest, and a couple of minor cuts." She said softly, "Although it's his right side that is wrapped, it is his left lung that will not reinflate properly, though they've made some progress..." She lead the now distraught singer to the chair that was very near the bed next to the bed stand. Sora then noticed that the bracelet he had bought him was placed there. The chain was broken and the lights from the ruin-craft were flickering to the point of struggling. "I wish I could tell you how he ended up like this... but I cannot." she added as she placed a hand to the back of his chair. "I don't think we will know any more until he awakes." 

Their attention was momentarily taken from the sleeping Paladin on the bed as the Maester reentered the room from the small windowed office at the back of the room. Just glancing through, Sora could tell that he had to be at the furthest point under the stone city, as he could clearly see Sagolii Gate through the bars of the window. The Maester softly ordered the four Chirurgeons to take some respite and regain their strengthen before approaching the bed from the other side. "Mylla, dear," he spoke in a comforting tone. "That means you too." She looked at him as if she were about to speak out in protested momentarily, but was hushed by a simple smile. She sighed as she stood from where she had been leaning. "I'll be in the office should you need me." She stated to him as she turned and headed towards the door. "And Demresineaux will be posted outside, should you need him." She added too Sora, who just nodded as he wiped the continuous streams of tears from his eyes. 

The Maester added another wind cluster to Xa'kryn's respirator and smiled at the singer faintly before slowly wandering back to the office. The only thing barring him from them was a small half screen, but for the first time Sora found himself alone with Xa'k. Sora moved his chair closer and gently lent against the mattress, but he found himself terrified to touch him. No matter what he did, he could not control his sobbing, and it only worsened now that he was alone with his thoughts of worry. Suddenly he was hit with a wave of dread that run through him like a knife, and he found that he had could no longer take a deep breath in and found himself wheezing quite loudly as he struggled. He had tried so hard to suppress the attack, especially because his lover was already having difficulty breathing but he had over worked himself just by running down the labyrinth like halls.

"Xa'-" He choked out as he pull himself closer, and gently caress the fingertips of the paladin's left hand. Unexpectedly, those fingertips gripped back. Through tearful eyes, his Azure gaze was met buy those Abyssal blues. He was so surprised, even if he had been able to breath, he would not have been able to whisper his name. "Sora..." Xa'k breathed out very faintly, "Don't cry, my love... I'm her-." 

"Highness, stop!" Suddenly the Maester said in a really loud booming voice as he reentered the room once more. It was only when it started to fade did Sora notice the blue light that Xa'kryn had always used too soothe him. 

"Maest-" His eyes seem to plead with him to do something as the singer continued his attack.

"Shh. I've got it. Rest." He said firmly. It was only when Xa'kryn saw clearly the Maester cast his magic did he immediately drop from consciousness once more. Not quite as instantly as Xa'kryn's magic, but nearly, Sora's breaths got easier. The Maester didn't even have to get as close too him as the Chirurgeons of his youth for the effects of his magic to reach him.

"Interesting..." The Maester stated after taking a few steps back towards the middle of the room and gaze upon the couple with a studious look. There was a soft cerulean glow too his eyes that was only seen clearly due to the shadows from the windows behind him. "He's tethered himself too you." 

"...T-tethered?" Sora wheezed, still holding tightly onto Xa'kryn's fingers. 

"Tethered,Yes." he repeated as he got a little bit closer to the singer, magic still emanated from his right hand into Sora's lungs. "It is as it's sounds... His aether is tethered to yours." he added with a slight smile on his face, "It is very rare indeed..."

"...How?" Sora asked, breathing a little better.

"There is only one way for him to do that." he replied as he placed his fingertips to the desk and gently slide out a card from Xa'kryn's personal effects. " With this..." he lifted it up and held it between to fingers and his thumb. The design was of two boys, one holding the other in a one armed embrace who was depicted huddled against the other ones chest; clearly in the image was the card itself being held by the taller boy. "This is the catalyst for powerful magic that was meant for his identical twin." he said softly, allowing the singer to look it over before turning it over, and studying it closer then he had before. "Incredible... I see now... Every full of surprises, that boy." His gaze drop to the paladin who was out cold once more. "Not many are able to rewrite the magics of an Astrologian card, but it seems Head-mistress did not use blood-ties as the catalyst." He added as he glance to the singer, "True unconditional love is the trigger..." 

Sora was taken aback and repeated the words "True love...?" out loud to himself under his breath. He was glad he was already sitting as those words made him weak in the knees. He found tears forming in his eyes once more as his gaze return too the paladin, and he gently, but firmly gripped at his good hand; these were not the tears of grief he had felt moments before but a mix of joy and guilt. His mind raced back to nearly nine months ago, when he first felt the warmth of that magic surround him back at the Forgotten Springs; the night he collapsed while using it. and he thought of just how long Xa'kryn had held onto those feelings and wondered just how long he had felt that way.

The Maester stroll away from the singer and over to a shelf and let his finger run down the spines of some tomes before pausing on and pulling down one from a shelf about shoulder height."Ingenious in a way, but emotions are hardly the most stable... I wonder how she did it..." he pondered out loud as he skimmed through the book. 

"What he just did was foolish in his condition." He said with a note of concern in his voice as he turned to the singer. Sora had gotten up from his chair and tentatively taken a seat on the bed next too the resting Paladin; his hand still gently caressing the hand that had momentarily reached out for his. "You may not have realized it, but there is more then just magic when he casts this. He is quite literally giving you his aether; and while it's true he has always been gifted with a surplus, he must be careful..." The Maester added sternly. "I only noticed it being cast due to the fact that I am sensitive to the aether of Astrologian cards, and I apprenticed under his mother..." 

Sora lent in closer too Xa'kryn and found himself lifting his hand carefully in his. He wanted to feel his warmth, and more over, for him to feel his, so he knew he was still there. His hear ached, and he desperately wished that the tether the Maester spoke of went both ways. He found himself feeling so helpless in that moment. "...I'm sorry..." he whispered quietly under his breath to Xa'kryn as he kissed gently at his knuckles. 

Even across the room, the Maester heard him as plain as day. "Is it not foolhardy to apologize to someone for being loved too deeply by them? unless those feelings were unrequited..." 

Sora found himself clenching his teeth slightly. "Then you have never been in love before..." He retorted, only glancing up momentarily to catch his eye, before returning his focus back to the sleeping Paladin. The Maester did not reply to that, but merely smirk as he glance up from his book. 

~~

The Maester had gone to his office at the back of the room where he spent the next few hours bouncing between his tomes. Sora, however, had fallen asleep after tentatively laying beside the unconscious Xa'kryn, still gingerly grasping onto his left hand. Sora awoke to a hand too his shoulder. "The Chirurgeons are back from their respite. I'm afraid I must ask you to wait outside the room." said the Maester.

It took him a moment to register what was said to him in the haze of being half asleep; it was only after slowly sitting up and seeing the four Chirurgeons dressed in white did he remember what had happened. Sora frowned slightly and sighed. "...Alright..." He really did not want to leave the room, but promised he would not be in the way. Before getting up from the bed he lent in closer and kissed the sleeping Paladin as gingerly as he could on the forehead. The Maester's comforting hand returned to the singers shoulder as he guided him out of the room while the Healers got to work. 

"I'll be assisting the Chirurgeons. Please ask Mylla to enter at her earliest convenience." He said to Sora who took a seat on the bench just outside of the door while the Maester shut it behind him.

When the Maester returned to the room he was greeted by slightly startled Chirurgeons who had merely just begun their healing circle when their patients eyes shot open. The Maester could not help but smile softly as he walked closer too the bed. "Do not worry, My Lord. He's just outside the room." he said softly, "I'll let him return once they're done... Rest." he added before the paladin drifted back off. 

Demresineaux moved from the door frame and took the empty seat beside his friend and placed an arm around him. For what felt like an eternity, they sat in silence. Sora had a defeated, helpless look on his face which Dem tried to comfort. Dem's comforting words however were cut short by a very loud, stern voice from down the hallway which only made Sora's mood lower. "Sora Azure Evens!" Toreku said loud and firmly as he walked the remainder of the way down the hall towards where the two were sitting. 

"Not now..." Sora sighed, his face in his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees.

"What in hells name were you thinking?! Do you know how dangerous that is!? We have guards for a reason!"

"I said not now." Sora repeated without even glancing up too look at his manager, who he could tell was red in the face due to the tone of voice.

"Yes now." Toreku retorted in a stern paternal tone. "I do understand why you wanted to come here, but for gods sake you need to say something instead of just running off. I have to know where you are!" 

The tone of Toreku's voice really struck a cord with Sora in his emotional state, and the frustration he had been trying contain let out all at once. "Why? You're not my dad; You don't care about me, or my feelings. You only care because my leaving fucks your scheduling over." Sora retorted. "You knew where I'd go as soon as you heard what happened,"

"You know that isn't true..." 

"If it's not true you would have come here asking how I am and how he is doing, Instead you're scolding me like I am a gods damn four year old. I'm not a child!" Sora retorts angrily.  
Dem tried to let his face play a neutral expression but it somewhat failed as the bickering got a little louder. He kept his arm around Sora's shoulders knowing that at this point it is somewhat moot. Although staying out of it, his friend did have a point; those should have been the first things Toreku asked. 

"You two do realize there are more patience than just O'kar in this ward, right?" Mylla stated sharply as the door flung open and the Guild Master lent out of the office and placed a hand on a frame, staring down the two that were just rowing. "that is what I thought." she said as the two fell silent. Dem glanced away from his friend and his Manager and kept his mouth shut, as not to be recycled and set back a year. When he glanced down the hall, he noticed Momodi scrambling on the floor, picking up something that was dropped; his heart started pounding when he then noticed the brunette ears of Miqo'te woman helping her, and realized that Luscia must have come along with Toreku.

"And your voices carry farther than you think." The Maester added as he stepped out of the room across the hall. "while I do understand Mr. Guhareku concerns about your safety, as far as my patients concerned I think it's best Mr evens stay in Ul'dah for the duration of his recovery. Twice now he has opened his eyes even if for a moment and the only thing seems to have triggered it are fluctuations in Sora's aether."

"Duration..." Toreku repeated with a slight frown on his face; Sora huffed, surmising that his manager was now only concerned with how many shows would be cancelled.

"This round of treatment is going way better than previous attempts and I think it has something to do with the tether we spoke of earlier." he said glancing down to Sora.

"Wait, he's awake!?" the Guild-master exclaimed.

"That is not what I said." The Maester retorted. "While it is true that he very momentarily regained consciousness, he is still not out of harms way and is in no condition for questioning. I'm sorry Mylla, but it is best you wait for the report from the Addar's."

She frowned at this news; there had been so many squads going missing or being wiped out due to the chaos of war in Carteneau that she had hoped he would be able to tell her a little more then Itoshiki was able too.

"There is one small thing I would like to test though, if Mr Even's doesn't mind helping me." The Maester added. "It's against protocol to have civilians in the treatment room, even spouses, but I'll make an exception."

The Maester allowed Sora alone to reenter the room with him. With a hand on his shoulder he guided the singer back to the chair by the bed, and sat him in it. The Chirurgeons were forewarned of this incursion of protocol and concentrated on the treatment. Sora was confused as to what the Maester wanted him to do and glanced to the Maester who just smiled. "Your only job is to stand by him." he said softly before he too joined the healing circle. Sora tentatively took Xa'kryn's hand in his as he watched the healer's work. It took a moment for Sora to realize that the Maester was not focusing on Xa'kryn at all, but on him. The Chirurgeons looked a little surprised while the Maester just smiled. "Excellent." he said softly. "Even subconsciously he's aware of the tether..." he added. "We were... having a little difficulty while you were out of the room with him trying to pass it on to you. No where near as much difficulty as when you were in Gridania, but enough to hinder the process slightly. When you are safe, like under my Aspected Benefic, he opens his chakra and allows them to heal him; He never stops sending to you, but he slows it down..."

"Oh Xa'k... I'm okay..." Sora gently brushes his fingers on Xa'k's knuckles; "Relax so they can help you, okay?" 

Outside the door, the brunette Miqo'te had caught up. "Toreku, that's enough." Luscia said in a stern tone; "Dem may have to keep quiet, but I sure as hell don't. You know how serious his boyfriend's injuries are and instead of being there for him and making sure he is all right, you're scolding him? You can't blame him for rushing here. Unlike when he was with my brother, this kind of situation was always a possibility when he started dating a knight. Instead of acting like a manager how about you act like what he needs you to be; a friend."

~

The next couple of days had a gloomy air over them. Xa'kryn, while recovering much faster than had Sora not been there, still could not get his left lung to function properly. While twenty percent capacity was better than the zero it had been when they found him, it was not healing more than that. The burn on the opposite side was affecting the capacity of the right, but only due to inflammation.

Toreku rented himself, and Luscia separate rooms at the Quicksand and Toreku had taken to spending most of his time there, corresponding to Gridania, and making many profuse apologizes for the cancellations on short notice. Luscia, when she was not sleeping, or walking through the Sapphire Exchange, remained outside the infirmary on the bench next to Dem, and keeping Sora company the few times he did leave the room while the Chirurgeons worked. 

Sora never left the infirmary, though, and did not go above ground, not wanting to stray too far from Xa'kryn, even when stretching his legs. Dem was posted outside and only swapped out to sleep, and that was usually with the Guild Master or her right hand. The Maester even allowed Sora to set up a cot next to him. The Maester himself seemed to be quiet interested in the tether, and seemed to be studying it and it's effects on the healing process.

On the fourth Sora awoke to the sound of Xa'kryn's breaths getting sharp. Sora gaze upon his face as he hastily sat up, and frowned to see cold sweats dropping down his forehead. He had been so expressionless the whole time he slept until now. Sora dabbed away the beads of sweat off his forehead, frowning at the worry lines upon his face. Sora called for the Maester and was slightly taken back when suddenly the Paladin's eyes shot opened. 

"N-n-e-" he tried to breathe out and Tears swelled in the Paladin's eyes while he was filled with the pain of the injury to his chest and lungs and his last memories. 

"Shhh..." Sora soothed, wiping more sweat from the paladin's brow; "the Maester is coming over." he lowered the cloth he had been using on his forehead and noticed how quick and sharp Xa'kryn's breaths truly were. He hastily took Xa'k's hand and placed it to his own chest; "Xa'k, try to match my breaths, okay honey?" he took a deep breath and began to breath slowly, hoping that his boyfriend would be able to match in time and sync to it.

Tears flowed down the side of the Paladin's face. "Sora...?" he breathed sharply and winced once more in pain. It was then that he really realized where he was. He pushed passed the pain, emotional and physical, and does as Sora requested though tears now stream down his cheek.

The Maester had reentered the room and just watched momentarily. With his Aether sight, he watched as the Aether flow reversed, and it was Sora who was giving to Xa'k. He slowly walked over and added another Aetheryte cluster to the respirator. He smiled and cast Aspected Benefic on the Paladin. "You're doing good, Xa'kryn, just a little longer." He could only stare at the two and his smile continued as he did so. He had never imagined that the tether would in fact go in reversed. It took merely a moment before his patient's breathing become even and steady. "Excellent." he said softly. "You hardly needed my help with that." He said patting Sora on the shoulder, and casting the spell on him too, although subtly."You are not to move to fast or to suddenly, but I'm sure the pain will remind you." the Maester said, and proceeded to tell his patient what damage was done too his physical body, his fractured hip, shattered arm; when he was was telling him about the depth of the burn on his right side he could tell the patents eyes went listless; that unfortunately, was the moment Mylla walked in. She was in shock to see him finally awake, and eager to get some answers, but the Maester hushed her with a single hand motion. 

"Unfortunately, because you have been sleeping the past few days, I cannot tell you how well you will be able to walk at first... Your left lung took heavy magical damage,and is not recovering correctly." he paused a moment before he added with a slight glance to the guild master. "And I can't let you leave for a few more days. Take your time here, and don't feel in a rush to speak."

Before Mylla could even ask, Xa'kryn spoke, though a little strained. "A few more? How long have I been here?" Xa'kryn asked, wheezing in between questions.

"You've been here for four days..." Sora said softly while gently gripping Xa'kryn's hand.

"What of the others?"

"... That was something that I had wished to ask you." Mylla replied,now trying to figure out how to put it gently. "What I say is not to leave this room until the investigation is completed, do you understand, Mr Evens?" to which the singer nodded. "After you arrived in Ul'dah alone, we had the adders help us with search and recovery and we back tracked your mission. They found signs of a significant skirmish within the walls, old and new. two of your squad appear to have vanished.... The others... did not make it."

This was heavy hitting news and memories of the last moments of the mission flooded his mind. "What of Negs?"

"She is one of the two missing..." with a note of concern, "her and Oriri." she replied, Xa'kryn pick up the underlying tone to her voice of concern, but not for her safety, "I am starting to think that maybe it's not a coincidence that the mission's the Neel's have gone on have ended in massacre...." she muttered a little louder than she meant while going through her clipboard.

"You think she did this?" Xa'kryn replied angrily, definitely straining himself to do so as he tried to sit up straight , "on what basis? What evidence? You weren't there and your jumping to horrendous conclusions because you couldn't figure out the first one? There is no way in seven hells any of them had something to do with these deaths."

"What is the last thing you remember?" the Maester asked,

"Taking a blow meant for her that was imbued with dark Aether..." he said gripping his chest, especially his left side, and the Maester cast another Aspected Benefic on him. "Then fighting off summoners Egi... Before being thrown off... They were after her specifically..." 

"After her? Taking out an entire squadron for one woman?" 

"She was the t-target, not an accomplice." he retorted angrily, wheezing sharply, "She was struck with the same magic I was."

"You need to be calm yourself," Sora breathed softly as he caressed Xa'kryn's fingers. "you may trigger another attack..."

"I-I D-DON'T CARE!" He retorted sharply between breathes, "I will not have another member of my family defamed without any proper evidence." 

"Well I do!" Sora replied equally as sharply. It hurt to have Xa'kryn snap at him, but he understood it was not entirely intentional. "You must not strain your body, or you'll have a harder time recovering. "

"She had nothing to do with the ambush; nothing." He added glaring at his guild-master, 

"I believe you." Sora replied. "What in HELLS Name is wrong with you!?" Sora retorted angrily as he turned and stare at the Guild-master. "I know how desperately you want answers, but everything you have been doing since I got here is all wrong. A leader should be strong and compassionate towards not only their subordinates, but to clients as well. You threatened Dem to have him set back JUST for speaking his mind when you know what he said was the truth. Because your investigation has gone no where you feel the need force an opinion that you yourself have no proof of, just for the need to be right?! You couldn't wait more then ten minutes after he woke up to barrage him with questions, without first seeing if he's even able to make a report of his own. Even if you investigate this out there theory, Xa'k JUST woke up and instead of keeping that thought to yourself you blurt it out clearly loud enough to hear you. He isn't in a condition to hear something like that and you know it! This hard enough on him! It may have been half a week for you, but he was in a coma for four days; he hasn't had time to process any of this yet. Clearly you don't give a shit so long as you get your precious answers! I'm not going to sit here and let you grill him on something that he knows is false!"

"And I know he is speaking the truth." The Maester spoke up after looking spaced out for a moment or two. "Mr Oriri also had no part of it, either." Noting the look on her face. "You must accept the fact, Mylla, that someone other than the Neel's are at fault for these devastation, and that either one of the reports have been falsified, or that someone had used a glamour to take on the appearance of Commander Neel when he was sighted." he added, "You've been neglecting my orders, I see." said as he got a little closer too the guild-master and saw the bags under her eyes. "Do I need to force you to sleep? Because that can be arranged. Repose is a very useful spell." 

She shoots him a glare; "You have no grounds to enact the actions in which you speak. I have a job to do and cannot rest." 

"But I do have grounds." He retorted simply. "You're lack of sleep has clouded you're judgment, and clearly you cannot even remember the fact that Frydwyb left me in charge while she went to procure the equipment we'll need from Ishgard." 

"And what of him?" she glanced to the singer out of the corner of her eye; "Less you forget while the Private sleeps, I take over his watch." 

"And at the moment, the Private has had far more sleep then you." He retorted, "I will get someone to rouse him. I'm relieving you of your duties; Vorsaile Heuliox and his team of Adders' are more then capable of handling the investigation of Baelsar's wall. In the meanwhile, Mr Evens will under my charge until he arrives."

She let out a low growl, seeing as the two men before her were not going to let her proceed with her questioning; "Fine, but the moment you deem him ready to speak you better come to me straight away, is that understood?"

"Understood." The Maester retorted simply returning the same cold look he was given before watching the Guild-master storm out of the room. The Maester sighed and shook his head, "No one can force you to speak before you're ready," he said softly as he glance to his patient over his shoulder, trying to hid the sombre expression on his face, "Take all the time you need." 

"Thank you, Maester." Sora said simply, wishing the situation would have been easier for all of them 

"Stay put, while I go get someone to wake Dem up and get him to return to his post."

Sora nods in response to the Maester's request, and maintained his firm grip on Xa'kryn's good hand. 

The couple were left alone; the silence was only broken by the sounds of Xa'kryn wheezing slightly on the in breath. He was filled with to many conflicting emotion to repress, and not even his paladin training could ever have prepared him for survivors guilt on such a wide scale. Now that the Guild-Master was gone, he felt those words truly sink in that thirteen of his friends and comrades had lost their lives when he had survived. The paladin was finding it hard to look Sora in the eyes at the moment. He felt ashamed that he had snapped at him like he did; it was the first time he had ever raised his voice to him, even if it was unintentional. "...Sora, I-"

The singer slowly met his lover's gaze, giving him the most gentle of smiles and shook his head; "Don't worry about it." he said in a soothing tone, clearly hearing the pain in the other's voice; "I'm okay," he placed Xa'k's hand on his chest and adjusted so he was close enough to softly run his fingers through his hair; "You can yell at me all you want, I'm not going anywhere..." 

"I'd never want too..." he replied, "I didn't mean too... I just didn't want to hear anymore of Mylla's accusations against her..." there were tears streaming down the side of his face he wanted to hide; it felt like ages since he had last let them fall. He was having a hard time catching his breath again, the more he thought about that night. "Her unconventional Sharlayan potions are the only reason I'm still here..." 

"I know.... Negs would never do something like this and Mylla was way out of line for just dumping all of that on you when you had just opened your eyes." he took a few deep breaths, "Try to match my breathing best you can. I know it's hard with what you're feeling, but do your best." 

Tears flowed freely down his cheek as he thought of his sister, and the agony she must have been in as the pain in his chest sharpened; he knew that she had to have been struck by the same magic when he could no longer protect her. He did as Sora asked and tried to calm his breathes down to match his, and not breath in to the point of agony; only as much as his lung would allow. It was slowly easing the pressure on his lung, the more he focused on Sora and the rhythm of his chest. 

"Good..." Sora soothed. His heart ached as he watched his love cry. His grip on Xa'k's hand tightened and he shut his eyes, willing as much of himself to help the paladin through this he knew what it was like for someone to just say 'you shouldn't do that cause you'll have another attack or make it worse'. "Let it out.... you don't have to hold back," he paused, his head feeling a little dizzy; "when you're with me...." he managed to say, before his grip loosened and he slumped onto his side next to Xa'kryn. 

"S-ora...?" he breathed sharply and winced once more in pain as he went to sit up slightly as he grip onto the singer's hand that had dropped its grip on his. The Maester chose to return with very good timing; it was merely seconds before the Paladin would have started panicking. "oh my." the Maester said, but the look on his face was not that of concern, which assured Xa'kryn that his love was alright. He walked over to the bed and cast Aspect Benefic on the pair. "he is just sleeping, but You must be careful." he said with a slight smile, "We have worked out that that tether of yours works both ways."

"both ways...?" he repeated as he caressed Sora's fingers. It took a moment for that to sink in for the Paladin; for that to work, Sora would have to love him in return; truly love him. 

The Maester had helped Sora into a more comfortable position and at Xa'kryn's behest moved the cot at close to the bed as he could. Xa'kryn had sidled himself over as much as his injuries and casts would allow to get as close to the singer as he possibly could. Though Sora slept, Xa'kryn could not; He spent most of that first night awake, and dwelling on the mission. He was only afforded more respite when the Maester cast repose on him at his request. 

Hours had passed and the singer found himself waking to the morning's sunlight beaming through the tiny window in the room. He slowly sat himself up rubbing the sleep from his eyes and felt a grip tighten on his other hand. His azure eyes grew wide as he now could hear his lover once again struggling with his breaths. As he did not want to pass out again right away, he stuck to his original motion of placing Xa'kryn's hand to his chest; "I want to try something a little different." He said as he gaze to his lover's violet eyes, noticing tears of pain and sorrow. He started with his steady breathing and got Xa'kryn to do the same, though it was clear now that the paladin was weary of this idea. He then began to hum a lovely little tune, one he had buried in the back of his mind; a melody he had wanted to transpose for months but it always felt like it was missing a note, or was in the wrong time; now, it finally clicked. Xa'kryn's breaths eased a little as he was able to relax too the sound of the singers soft humming.

Xa'kryn smiled slightly when he was feeling a little better, "Thank you..." he said softly, "that was a really beautiful melody..." 

Sora returned the smile and rubbed the back of Xa'k's hand; "You think so?" he asked, a hint of glee in his voice. He kissed the paladin's knuckles before setting his hand down on the mattress and standing up from where he sat; "I had been trying to think of a new melody for awhile now and everything I tried just didn't work." he moved towards the respirator to see if it needed another air cluster; "I hope I can remember it for later." he replied with a soft smile.


End file.
